Foundation Magazine March/April 2021

FOUNDATION The Business & Spirit of Philanthropy in Canada March/April 2021 | Vol. 2 | No. 8

Shawn Bath: WATER WARRIOR

COURTESY CLEAN HARBOURS INITIATIVE

INSIDE: • Diversifying Diversity • The Accidental Rescuer • From Patient to Philanthropist PM 4 0 0 5 0 8 0 3

THE LEAD IN

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The World Around Us

Does a Volcano Attract a Crowd of Philanthropists?

Now here’s a nation we associate with cold nights, hot water pools, passing icebergs and of course volcanos. When a strong seismic crisis began on the Reykjanes peninsula near Fagradalsfjall mountain in February, involving several magnitude 5+ shivers and thousands of smaller shakes, attention quickly drew visitors. Then, boom, on March 19 an eruption that shows little sign of stopping anytime soon. A growing cone fills with spectacularly boiling (degassing) lava that flows away to form thin flows that overlap on an expanding lava field that is filling the Geldingadalur valley. So naturally, we wonder, if it keeps going…are there charities which are standing by to help? And help do what? Do Iceland’s fundraisers dare leverage a lava flow?

Three quick semi-random facts about charitable activity in Iceland ❯❯ The Huma Charity Challenge invites people to trek the famous Laugavegur Trail or hike through Skaftafell National Park, soak in the stunning geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon or experience the magic of Iceland in winter, exploring hot springs, geysers and frozen landscapes on snowshoe hikes and super-Jeep excursions—all of which can be arranged as fundraisers. Their charity challenge experts create customized itineraries for groups or individuals can sign on for upcoming challenges. Volcano run anyone? ❯❯ In 2011, major charities, from the UK in particular, lost tens of millions in assets when funds were frozen in collapsed Icelandic banks. The Icelandic government held long talks with charity group leaders amid an estimate that British organizations had as much as £120m tied up with Iceland's trio of troubled lenders. Some lucked out; others lost a fortune. ❯❯ Between 1,500 and 2,000 families in Iceland accept food donations every month and the need is growing, according to Vilborg Oddsdóttir, a social worker at Icelandic Church Aid (Hjálparstarf kirkjunnar). She estimates that 4,000 to 5,000 families accept donations at least once a year. Did you picture that?

Meanwhile here at home…

Canada Iceland Foundation has been in around for over 50 years. Created as a charitable body by a group of community leaders and organizations in the Icelandic Canadian Community in the late 1940s, it exists to fulfill the need for a funding charity to support non-profit cultural and scholarship activities of their community. In 1985, the unincorporated Foundation was turned into a charitable corporation. Many families have memorialized family members with the establishment of scholarship funds in their names. The foundation has been fortunate as well to be remembered in the wills of members of the Icelandic Canadian community.

Now pack those lava-resistant hiking boots and start raising money as you outrace the growing red-hot flows that are once again changing the landscape of Iceland. foundationmag.ca

March/April 2021

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CONTENTS

March/April 2021 | Vol. 2 | No. 8

www.foundationmag.ca

Twitter: @foundationmaga1 PRESIDENT / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Steve Lloyd - steve.lloyd@lloydmedia.ca DESIGN / PRODUCTION Jennifer O’Neill - jennifer@dmn.ca PHOTOGRAPHER Gary Tannyan CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Malcolm Burrows Johnny Langenheim Mary Cahalane Kathleen Provost Ted Haberer Jennifer Robins Tracy Howard

Tanya Hannah Rumble Billy Sharma Mariya Yurokova

LLOYDMEDIA INC. HEAD OFFICE / SUBSCRIPTIONS / PRODUCTION:

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EDITORIAL CONTACT: Foundation Magazine is published bimonthly by Lloydmedia Inc. Foundation Magazine may be obtained through paid subscription. Rates: Canada 1 year (6 issues $48)

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Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. However unused manuscripts will not be returned unless accompanied by sufficient postage. Occasionally Foundation Magazine provides its subscriber mailing list to other companies whose product or service may be of value to readers. If you do not want to receive information this way simply send your subscriber mailing label with this notice to: Lloydmedia Inc. 302-137 Main Street North Markham ON L3P 1Y2 Canada.

POSTMASTER: Please send all address changes and return all undeliverable copies to: Lloydmedia Inc. 302-137 Main Street North Markham ON L3P 1Y2 Canada Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40050803 FOUNDATION Magazine

March/April 2021

COURTESY CLEAN HARBOURS INITIATIVE

THE ENVIRONMENT

302-137 Main Street North Markham ON L3P 1Y2 Phone: 905.201.6600 Fax: 905.201.6601 Toll-free: 800.668.1838

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COVER STORY Shawn Bath: Water Warrior Doing Whatever it Takes to Clean Newfoundland’s Harbours

3 THE LEAD IN 6 SEEN, HEARD & NOTED COLUMNIST

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The Changes in Ordinary and Exceptional Donations Wealth Management - Malcolm Burrows

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What is a Legacy?

Leadership - Kathleen Provost

MARKETING & FUNDRAISING - SARAH CHAMBERLIN will return next issue foundationmag.ca

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COURTESY JOHNNY LANGENHEIM

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COURTESY JULIAN UCCELLO

22

COURTESY JUDANNA DAWN

CONTENTS

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IN CONVERSATION

24 Diversifying Diversity

A Conversation About Intersectionality: Part One

PHILANTHROPIST PROFILE

28 From Patient to Activist 40 FUNDRAISING

12 13 37

Donor Touches Matter and Paper is Still Your Best Bet Paper Mail Can Still Party How Nonprofits are Cutting Off Their Noses to Spite Their Faces

DONOR TRENDS

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AFP Global Fundraising Effectiveness Project Report

U.S. Giving Increases Significantly in 2020, Even as Donor Retention Rates Shrink

40 How the Pandemic Impacts Canada’s Top P2P Programs

PROFILE

22 The Accidental Rescuer

Judanna Dawn helped save a badly injured dog 13 years ago — little did she know, she was beginning her life’s work

foundationmag.ca

How Former Pro Soccer Player Julian Uccello Makes the Most of his “New Normal” Life

CHARITY PROFILES

32 33

The Animal Guardian Society How Will You Leave Your Mark on the Community You Called Home?

DONOR ANALYTICS

34 How Well Do You Know Your Donors?

Why now more than ever, it’s critical to understand your constituents

HISTORIC PLAQUE

43 Vern and Clara Welker IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

46 Greenland: Life on the Edge Next Issue…

The May/June issue of Foundation Magazine includes our Arts & Culture Special Report and will also include distribution at AFP Philanthropy Day in Toronto and Ottawa. Promote your firm or charity at these major events.

March/April 2021

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SEEN, HEARD & NOTED

#GetVocal About the Need for Organ Donation Why does Canada have one of the worst organ and tissue registration rates of all developing countries in the world despite the increasing wait list? David Foster wants to know that you can take two minutes to help save a life, with April being recognized as National Organ & Tissue Donation Awareness Month.

Foster and the David Foster Foundation are using this month to draw awareness to the constant need for support and encourages all Canadians to get #GetVocal.

The national non-profit Canadian charitable organization is dedicated to providing financial support for non-medical expenses to Canadian families with children in need of life-saving pediatric organ transplants.

“This month really helps raise awareness and highlights the importance of organ and tissue registration and donation,” said Foster, Founder of The David Foster Foundation. “Sadly, the need for registered organ donors is often overlooked but we 6

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want to let everyone know that they can help change this. It takes less than two minutes to register and together we can make a significant change in the lives of so many people.”

Organ and tissue donor rates in Canada are disappointing and in 2020, registration was down 39 percent due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 4,500 Canadians are currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant and each year upwards of 1,600 people are added. Of those on the wait-list, the number of deaths work out to roughly five deaths per week and one death every 30 hours, all which could have been avoided. One organ donor can save up to eight lives and improve the quality of life for up to 75 people.

“This is an important month for all of us to draw awareness to the alarming numbers and to the urgent need for organ donation — let’s all #GetVocal,” said Michael Ravenhill, Chief Executive Officer at The David Foster Foundation.

•••••••••••••••••••

March/April 2021

You Know the Brand, Here’s the Foundation The John Deere Foundation will invest $200 million over the next 10 years in initiatives that will bring to life John Deere’s higher purpose: We run so life can leap forward.

The financial commitment builds significantly on the Foundation’s legacy of philanthropy. Since its founding in 1948, the Foundation has awarded over $340 million in grants. As part of its 10-year commitment, the Foundation will invest: ❯❯ $100 million in the families and youth who live, work, and learn in John Deere’s home communities to ensure their inclusive and equitable access to resources and educational opportunities critical for human dignity and self-sufficiency. Annual investments of two million dollars in food banks will provide the equivalent of 100 million meals over the next decade, and investments in youth education will reach at least one million underserved and underrepresented youth.

Nate Clark, President, John Deere Foundation

❯❯ $50 million in farmers throughout the world to bolster their capacity to make a living, feed a growing global population, reduce inequality, and protect the world around us.

Through its work with a range of global partners that serve smallholder and resourceconstrained family farmers, the Foundation will help 15 million farmers unlock their enormous potential. ❯❯ $50 million in John Deere's extraordinary workforce — its greatest asset — to further mobilize and build on their enormous volunteer talents and generosity to strengthen foundationmag.ca

SEEN, HEARD & NOTED

their communities and improve lives around the world.

“The urgency of running today with the vision of a better tomorrow is John Deere at our core,” said John May, Chairman and CEO of Deere & Company and Chairman of the John Deere Foundation. “The Foundation’s financial commitment holds true to this purpose by investing deeply in the people we serve to overcome the challenges they face today and create for themselves paths to a more prosperous tomorrow.”

The Foundation’s 10-year commitment aligns to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the Foundation will track and report investments against relevant targets and indicators, said Nate Clark, President of the John Deere Foundation. In the coming months, the Foundation will announce several key grants that will illustrate how this commitment is being put into action, Clark said. foundationmag.ca

••••••••••••••••••• Brand New RCAF Foundation Flies a Major Initiative for Canadian Youth Twenty scholarships are going to be awarded to students for study in areas related to aviation or aerospace as part of the brand new The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Foundation.

The organization unveiled

its purpose, mission, new identity, and website along with a major commitment to furthering the education of Canadian students in the areas of S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering, and

mathematics). The mission of the RCAF Foundation is to recognize, foster and celebrate the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) through community engagement, education programs and commemorative activities.

Former Commander of the RCAF Lieutenant-General (Ret’d) Michael Hood, CMM CD said. “I loved being a member of the RCAF, serving my country, being the face of Canadian commitment and generosity in my many missions abroad. And I was privileged to serve alongside so many talented men and women. Today through the RCAF Foundation we will honour and celebrate our history and the many men and women who have made the RCAF the renowned and cherished institution it is today.”

The RCAF Foundation’s new logo and brand looks back to the nearly 100 years of the Royal Canadian

Air Force with the classic roundel imagery but also forward over the horizon and into the future. Jeremy Diamond, Founding CEO, RCAF Foundation, said, “This identity reflects our March/April 2021

purpose to inspire Canadians to learn about and support this important national institution, and highlight the future of Canadian aviation, ensuring its dynamic growth and expansion.”

The Foundation’s first campaign #ONE DAY I WILL challenge asks youth across Canada to share their hopes for their future in a short video clip. The challenge launched on April 12 on Instagram.

The Foundation will also contribute to the Royal Canadian Air Force Association so they can meet their entire 2021 fundraising goal and bring their Trust Portfolio to a total of $300,000 which is annually leveraged to award Cadet flight training scholarships.

Twenty scholarships will be awarded to students for study in a S.T.E.M. area that could lead to a future role in areas related to the fields of either aviation or aerospace. The scholarships will be awarded by mid August of 2021. The criteria for application will be posted to the RCAF Foundation web site by May 15, 2021.

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WEALTH MANAGEMENT MALCOLM BURROWS

The Changes in Ordinary and Exceptional Donations

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Malcolm Burrows 8

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March/April 2021

GARY TANNYAN

BY MALCOLM BURROWS

he majority of Canadians make annual donations to charity. These donations are done online, at the office, to places of worship, in response to a telemarketer, mail or social media appeal, or through a special event.

This kind of “ordinary” giving is widespread, and so it creates a feeling of comfortable familiarity.

But this familiarity can be misleading. It’s easy to think we “know” charitable giving, only to find out there are actually different models of giving and tools required. The habit of ordinary giving obscures the increasing prevalence, complexity and importance of “exceptional” donations.

These two categories of donations — ordinary and exceptional — are useful to explore. They are helpful to anyone interested in charities today, but also for individuals considering a once-in-a-lifetime donation.

Understanding that much rarer type of donation — the exceptional — is key to planning a gift from assets and/or an estate. foundationmag.ca

COLUMNIST With exceptional donations, everything is different: the thinking, the scale, the planning, the timetable, and the social impact. This article is intended to help would-be philanthropists of exceptional donation to rethink their approach to giving. Exceptional donors don’t have to be “rich”. Although they are likely to be age 50+, have accumulated some assets, have an altruistic spirit, and, often, have no children.

Ordinary donations Let’s start with our baseline experience.

Donations made annually from income or cash flow are “ordinary” donations.

Anyone, at any age and income level, can be a donor of an ordinary gift. Although the motivation may be extraordinarily personal and provide significant help to a charity, ordinary donations are made everyday.

More than 99 percent of donations are “ordinary” and they share certain characteristics. Ordinary donations typically occur because: a) the charity asks for them; b) a social issue or news story; or c) ongoing involvement with the charity. Ordinary donations are repeatable and usually of a value that is personally affordable to the donor.

Cause and community matter a lot.

These gifts are from the heart. They are motivated by belief in a cause or organization, and they are often triggered by a solicitation. Whether the solicitation is from a charity, peer or friend, it comes with some social expectations and, maybe even some peer pressure. Give and you will be participating in the community. It’s likely that community will recognize you in some way, maybe through a donor list.

Thanks and recognition are extrinsic or external motivations for giving.

Although individual donors receive a tax receipt that produces savings, tax is rarely a primary consideration. Indeed, due to the tiered and opaque nature of Canada’s donation tax incentives, most donors have no idea how much they will save. (It ranges from 20 percent to 54 percent of donation, and the rate depends on the taxpayer’s total annual donations, foundationmag.ca

income and province/territory). Tax savings are a nice bonus, but they aren’t a major consideration with ordinary donation due to the smaller amounts involved. In fact, approximately $2 billion in donation tax receipts don’t get claimed each year.

“Most donors have no idea how much they will save.”

Exceptional donations As the name implies, exceptional donations don’t happen very often in a person’s life. They are made from personal assets; that is, capital as opposed to income. Or, to put it another way, these are gifts from wealth.

Individuals considering a gift from assets face several factors that simply aren’t present for ordinary gifts. These include: ❯❯ Intrinsic or personal motivation.

Exceptional donations start with donors reflecting on their life and circumstances, not with a fundraising solicitation. ❯❯ A catalytic life event. For example, a major asset sale, such as business or real estate, which creates a large tax event. Or, it could be consideration of one’s estate and beneficiaries. ❯❯ Assets are needed to live in and live on.

As donations are irrevocable, financial planning is advisable to ensure there is enough for lifestyle and family. ❯❯ Due to the higher value of the gift, the donor often has multiple charitable interests, which may not all be well articulated or developed. The value of the gift may be too much to give at one time or to one charity. ❯❯ Canada has a robust tax regime to encourage donations from assets, which is among the most beneficial in the world. ❯❯ The decision to make an exceptional gift may be made well in advance knowing which charity to support.

This gulf may be made greater by a tax deadline or just the enormous decisions involved with choosing beneficiaries and executing a will.

Broader context The number of donors of exceptional gifts and the value of these gifts has increased significantly over the past 30 years in Canada. This is primarily due to the increase in wealth (albeit unequal distribution) driven by the stock market, business and real estate values.

Exceptional donations are difficult to quantify, but one measure is the increase in $1 million+ gift announcement by charities in the last 25 years. At the mega gift end of the spectrum, there has been at least five donations over $100 million announced since 2019. There has also been an unprecedented increase in private foundations and donor advised funds at public foundations.

Unfortunately, Canadian donation data is not detailed enough to provide a clear view on individual donation, although the trend is evident. Longterm, Statistic Canada has reported that the percentage of taxpayers who claim charitable donations is shrinking, dramatically.

In 1990, over 30 percent of Canadian claimed charitable donations, and in 2019, it is 19 percent. At the same time, the value of donations claimed has increased, which means fewer donors are giving more, and some, a lot more.

In 2019, there were $10.3 billion in donations claimed, an increase of 3.6 percent over 2018.

The decline in donors is a worrying trend in terms of citizen participation in the community. The increase in exceptional donations represents both an opportunity and challenge for charities and donors. We’re experiencing an historical change in the way Canadians are giving to charity. We need to think differently about planning, engagement, support, equity and social impact.

MALCOLM BURROWS is Head of Philanthropic Advisory Services at Scotia Wealth Management. He writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.

March/April 2021

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What is a Legacy?

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COURTESY KATHLEEN PROVOST

LEADERSHIP KATHLEEN PROVOST

Columnist Kathleen Provost with her family (l to r), son Louis, daughter Samantha, and husband Richard

BY KATHLEEN PROVOST

s a professional fundraiser, I believe I should always lead by example. Just imagine being in the profession of asking for charitable donations but not being a donor myself. So, as I make key decisions about choosing any charitable work I support, I ask myself; what do I want my legacy to be? We often think of legacy as a powerful or wealthy gesture that comes after we are dead. But a legacy is a reflection of who we are and should mirror what kind of legacy we want to build for the next generation. A legacy is not about tomorrow. It is about today.

Building a legacy Think about how we make our own decisions, every day, and think about what these decisions mean. When contemplating a legacy, we need to look at who we are today, and what really matters for us. As we journey through adulthood, we prioritize different things at different moments in our lives. Through this journey we may prioritize education or religion; later it could be sports or social activities; and maybe at a later stage in our life health becomes more important to us. However, our journey is, we need to look at the values we believe have a real impact which will inform the legacy we want to build.

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COLUMNIST We need to ask ourselves, what are those personal values we believe in and practice daily that give us meaning as human beings. These are not the values we want to leave; these are the values we identify with every day that will help inform the kind of legacy we want to have. So then, how can we keep our legacy in mind as we go about our everyday decisions? Kimberly Wade-Benzoni in The Harvard Business Review said: “How people make decisions that involve future generations provides some specific strategies for helping you to keep legacy building in mind and leverage those thoughts to maximize your impact on the world. Research shows that when we know we have benefited from the legacy of the prior generation, that gets us thinking about the positive legacy we want to leave for future generations, and we tend to make better long-term oriented decisions.”

Considering the needs A 2018 poll conducted by Angus Reid Institute found that half of Canadians (51 percent) say they have no last will and testament in place, while only onethird (35 percent) say they have one that is up to date, hence nearly one-in-six Canadians have wills that haven’t been kept them up to date. Not having a will, means we have not told our family what our intentions are. Therefore, we have no say in what happens to our assets. Hence the values we stand for; the legacy we are building today, may not come to fruition.

As we build our legacy, we must stay focus on the issues we have identified that need “fixing” because they matter to us. A legacy is not just about the benefits we may experience by building such legacy, but most importantly, what do we want to change, or have an impact on.

By making informed choices we need to consider the ways in which we plan our legacy. We may want to do something for a cause we are passionate about, or that we are already involved with, or that we currently support. But we may also feel strongly about a social value with which we are less familiar but with which we strongly identify and believe it should foundationmag.ca

be a part of our legacy. Then, it is our responsibility to find out more about this social value and the associated charitable activity, with a goal to further inquire about their work, their vision, and assess the relationship we want to have with this particular charity or organization.

Assessing our worth According to Angus Reid Institute 23 percent of Canadians say they don’t have enough assets to make a will worthwhile, building a legacy is not just about the assets we leave once we are gone. In the charitable sector we have what is called a planned gift. A planned gift is when we put in place a charitable gift today that in the future will go to an organization of our choice.

This concept was first established in the United States by the Central Ohio Planners and became a program which was eventually licensed to Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP) in Canada. Today, LEAVE A LEGACY™ is a program that encourages prospective donors to work with charities and/ or professional advisors to establish a charitable bequest or other planned gift that best suits their situation. A planned gift is exactly what it means, it is planned.

While we are alive, we plan our legacy.

This legacy can be made up of a number of planned fiscal arrangements we chose to put in place today because it is meaningful for us. Remember, it is not about the size, it is about the impact we want to have.

Reminding our self that we have limited time It takes a lifetime to build a legacy. Not because we need to accumulate assets and wealth, but because it is a journey by which we need to define the legacy we want to build. Talking with our family about our wishes and yes, talking about those difficult end-of-life conversations is necessary. When we need to discuss our wishes ahead of time it helps us confirm the priorities we have, the values we uphold and the choice we are making in a manner that makes it easier for our loved ones to honour and respect the legacy we are building today.

We must seek professional advice. It is unbelievable the manners in which we can shape and impact what is important for us. I discovered early in life that I could use a few dollars I have today and build a legacy gift that will have impact; the kind of impact I want to have because I believe in this charitable work. We must ask financial advisors for help and ideas on how we can attain our legacy goal, and once we have made our decisions, we need to consult with a lawyer to make sure all our wishes are properly recorded.

Building our legacy today Building our legacy is actually a very rewarding process to embark on. We start by doing research; seek professional help because we don’t know all the options that may be available to us, and we talk with our family, the people around us with whom we want to share this legacy. These conversations will help us build the legacy we want for ourselves. It will include discussion about money and assets; but, most importantly it will include fundamental discussions on our values, what matters to us and what we stand for.

Some may refer to this as self-actualization as Maslow described in his 1954 Theory of Motivation and Personality. I call it a legacy, and it is ours to build, today.

KATHLEEN A. PROVOST, CFRE is currently the Campaign Director at St. Francis Xavier University, in Antigonish, NS. She brings over 25 years of fundraising experience within the charitable sector. She has been a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) since 2007, and a long-time member and volunteer for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). As a recognized leader, Kathleen has tailored presentations and workshops for French and English audiences at various events including AFP-Nova Scotia, AFP-Ottawa, AFP-National Congress, Coady International Institute and the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education. Kathleen is a McGill University graduate and completed her Master, Adult Education from St. Francis Xavier University. She has received numerous recognitions during her career, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contributions to the charitable sector. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine. https://hbr.org/2016/12/how-to-think-about-building-your-legacy https://www.cagp-acpdp.org/fr/blog/how-to-take-advantage-ofthe-leave-a-legacy-month https://angusreid.org/will-and-testament/

March/April 2021

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FUNDRAISING

Donor Touches Matter and Paper is Still Your Best Bet

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BY MARY CAHALANE

have been seeing a lot of articles during the past year about COVID and work.

Specifically, about how the pandemic has changed the way we work and the way we communicate.

And honestly, how not? Organizations that were tied to an in-person environment had a tough awakening. If your donor management system wasn’t based in the cloud, you were disconnected from critical information and workflows.

We meet friends via Zoom and Facetime. We even have to hold funerals that way. There’s something so very sad about watching a family grieve without being able to touch!

So it’s time to switch to digital communications, right?

No! Please don’t.

According to NonProfitPro, response rates to direct mail solicitations are roughly 10 times higher than any digital channel (including email).

It’s terrific to have a fundraising communications strategy that includes both digital and direct mail channels.

But email and social still bring in a fraction of what direct mail does for nonprofit organizations.

Beat the competition I don’t mean the nonprofit down the street. With every passing year, our email inboxes and social media feeds are full of nonprofit messaging. And while our mailboxes may have big seasons (end of year), your message still has less competition for attention. From my friends at CompuMail: for roughly every 36 emails you receive on average, you get one piece of mail in your mailbox.

Paper and the power of touch And since we’re human, we can’t discount 12

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the importance of touch. We take it for granted as a way to navigate our surroundings. But it’s really important.

Just think about the people you can’t hug right now if you don’t believe me!

We know touch is essential for healthy infant development, and for adult happiness. But we also use it every day, almost every moment, to understand our environment. Our body is one giant sensor!

And text on paper is part of our physical world in a way that text on a screen is not.

From Infolific: Health & Fitness: Sense neurons are located on the bottom skin layer called the dermis. Here there are nerve endings called sensory neurons.

These neurons carry signals to the brain which are quickly processed into useful information then the body reacts if it needs to. Reaction involves signals from the brain traveling to the appropriate muscle neurons where the action will be taken, e.g. tightening your hand around a glass.

What does this have to do with mail?

You don’t just read physical mail. You handle it. You interact with it. And touching it sends all sorts of messages that you might not be consciously aware of.

Textures change how we think. There’s this study I love about how sandpaper made people more likely to give. And think about what a heavy piece of paper communicates: this is important.

Think about it: have you ever gotten a wedding invitation on copy paper?

Better understanding From Scientific American: …Evidence from laboratory experiments, polls and consumer reports indicates that modern screens and e-readers fail to adequately recreate certain tactile experiences of

reading on paper that many people miss and, more importantly, prevent people from navigating long texts in an intuitive and satisfying way.

In other words, it’s still easier for most people to understand your words if they’re reading them on paper. And you do want to be understood.

When we read paper, we also feel we have a better sense of control. It’s easy to flip a page back and forth. And we remember where that paragraph we want to revisit is more easily when we saw it on a physical page.

Paper ­— and mail — still matters Email certainly seems less expensive. It can also fool you into sending messages out with less consideration. And while it’s certainly cheaper to email someone than to pay for postage and paper, response rates are so low! Consider that all the email you’re sending out might not only be missing the mark, but irritating its intended reader.

Direct mail continues to show better results, year after year. How long have we been waiting for its death? If it didn’t happen in 2020, during a pandemic, do you really think it will anytime soon?

You don’t have to choose sides, though.

You can still use email and social media to support your messaging. And it won’t take that much more work.

Repetition is powerful. When we see messages repeated, they have more weight. So create a terrific direct mail package. Then use the same messaging and stories in bite-sized pieces via email and social. They can all support each other. You don’t have to start from scratch.

MARY CAHALANE is the principal of Hands-On Fundraising and specializes in donor communications and fundraising planning. foundationmag.ca

FUNDRAISING

Paper Mail Can Still Party

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BY TED HABERER

mail turns fifty this year.

Ray Tomlinson sent the first email in 1971, and it went something like this: “QWERTYUIOP”. …what a rush!

So, Email throws a big party to celebrate this milestone. They sit down with SMS to discuss the guest list, inviting all of their cool friends — Banner Ads, Social Media, PPC, Webinars, Blogs, and despite being a bit annoying at times, even Content gets the invite.

“What about Paper Mail?” asks Email.

SMS replies, “RUSSRN?* Paper Mail is too old — OMG no way LMAO.” Sending a stamped, paper message is a throwback to the olden days. They shrug with indifference. *Are You So Serious Right Now — can you believe this is a thing?

The invites go out, and despite Email being its partial namesake, Paper Mail does not make the cut. She misses the party and spends the night playing Pinochle with her friends Telegrams, Radio, Billboards and Phone Calls, but guess what? Others were also absent. Quite a few others actually. How did this happen?

Email sent out all the important invitations. Of course, many of them were never opened. Emails went right to the spam folder too. Banner Ads were often blocked. Blogs, Webinars and Content got some traction. Social Media got a few smiley faces and hand claps.

Ok, enough of the mythology…

When you’re invited to something important, like a wedding, a graduation, a milestone birthday, etc., and you get that beautiful invitation in the mail with the return postage thoughtfully prepaid for your RSVP — you probably do what I do and stick that baby on the corkboard or maybe even the fridge, officially rendering it unforgettable. It’s an old system.

Tried, tested, and true.

Besides, mail is old. Egyptians had some semblance of a mail service more than 4,000 years ago. The postal service in Canada began in 1763. The first US postal service went into operation on July 26, 1775. Mail is old alright, but Mail can still party.

With age comes wisdom. You don’t live as long as Mail has without adapting and evolving. Mail has watched these young whippersnappers scramble over one another for a few years now.

Mail has seen what works, and Mail has decided that it’s going to have to stay relevant if Mail wants to make future guest lists. foundationmag.ca

Timeliness and variability stand out among the many attributes that Mail has admired about these young hotshots.

So recently, “Snail Mail” got themselves a jetpack.

Ironic, that Mail has emulated these new kids on the block, but that’s what the great ones do. They learn and adapt. Now fundraisers can send automated Mail within a few hours of the guest list being decided upon. Each message tailored, specifically curated, for the uniqueness of its recipient. The question you marketers need to ask yourself is: how badly do you want your donors and sponsors to attend your party?

TED HABERER is Director of Customer Success at Prime Data.

CANADA’S SPECIALIZED PROVIDER OF DECEASED CONTACT DATA Canada’s most accurate and up to date deceased list.

Information direct from funeral homes, estate executors and families of the deceased.

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WWW.CANADADECEASEDLIST.CA 1-877-565-5515 INFO@CANADADECEASEDLIST.CA March/April 2021

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DONOR TRENDS

AFP Global Fundraising Effectiveness Project Report

U.S. Giving Increases Significantly in 2020, Even as Donor Retention Rates Shrink

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espite concerns that the COVID-19 pandemic would depress donations to nonprofits, giving in the U.S. in 2020 increased from 2019 by 10.6 percent, with the overall number of donors growing by 7.3 percent, according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project’s 2020 Fourth Quarter Report.

Significant increases were seen at all levels of giving, with smaller gifts (less than $250) leading the way, growing by 15.3 percent compared to 2019. Larger gifts ($1,000 or more) increased by 10.4 percent, while mid-level gifts ($250 to $999) improved by 8.0 percent.

At the same time, donor retention, an important benchmark that tracks the percentage of donors who gave to a charity in 2019 and then gave to the same charity in 2020, dropped by 4.1 percent.

“American generosity remains incredibly strong,” said Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA, President and CEO of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. “After the first quarter of the year, when giving dropped 6 percent and the impact of COVID-19 was just beginning, many of us were very fearful about how giving would fare throughout 2020 — especially as events like natural disasters can often lead to dips in overall giving for charities not involved in relief efforts. However, 2020 giving has outpaced 2019 contributions ever since and ended very strongly, led by huge increases in smaller-level gifts.”

The Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP) is collaboration among fundraising data providers, researchers, analysts, associations and consultants to empower the sector to track and evaluate trends in giving. The FEP releases quarterly foundationmag.ca

findings on those giving trends, released both via downloadable reports at www.afpfep.org and in a free online dashboard available at http://data. givingtuesday.org/fep-report.

“One factor that may have helped the increase in smaller gifts was the universal charitable deduction,” said Jon Biedermann, Chair of the Fundraising Effectiveness Project and President and CEO of The Biedermann Group. “It’s striking that on December 31, there was a 28 percent increase of $300 gifts, which is exactly the maximum amount a donor can take using the universal charitable deduction, plus small-level gifts of $250 or more increased by more than 15 percent throughout the year. Obviously, there’s a lot to unpack, and the impact of COVIDrelief efforts can’t be understated, but we’ll continue to examine the relationship between small gifts and the universal charitable deduction.”

Increased need inspires new donors to give While giving benchmarks increased across the board, donor data was very mixed, reflecting how the pandemic and pandemic relief efforts changed how traditional donors gave and the number of new donors who felt inspired to contribute.

The 7.3 percent increase in the number of donors overall was led primarily by an extraordinary 18.5 percent increase in new donors and a strong 13.7 percent increase in recaptured donors (those persons who had given previously to the charity before 2019, did not give in 2019, and then gave in 2020).

“These latest figures show the desire

of everyday people to respond to the needs of their communities in a variety of extraordinary ways,” said Woodrow Rosenbaum, Chief Data Officer of GivingTuesday. “The events of 2020 inspired new levels of grassroots giving.

We saw an increase in people giving to organizations they hadn't given to before, which is a great opportunity for organizations to continue to engage these new supporters.”

“It’s telling that repeat retained donors experienced such a small drop, as these are the most loyal supporters to any charity,” said Doug Schoenberg, CEO for DonorPerfect Fundraising Software.

“Donors who have a consistent history of giving to a charity will, generally speaking, continue to give to that same charity no matter what else may happen — natural disasters, pandemic or other events — and probably gave to both the charity and disaster relief. It will be very curious to see what happens in 2021 and if all of these new donors continue to give, or if other donors shift their giving back to their traditional causes.”

Falling donor retention percentages While one donor retention benchmark did see an increase, other donor retention levels dropped, foreshadowing potential long-term challenges for most charities.

The overall 2020 donor retention rate was 43.6 percent, a 4.1 percent drop from the 2019 rate of 45.4 percent. The chief factor in the decrease was a 9.2 percent drop in the new donor retention rate (the percentage of donors who gave

March/April 2021

CONTINUED ON page 43 FOUNDATION Magazine

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CHRIS CROCKWELL

Shawn Bath, founder of Clean Harbours Initiative.

Sheryl Fink with Shawn Bath.

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COURTESY CLEAN HARBOURS INITIATIVE

KICKER

March/April 2021

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THE ENVIRONMENT

Shawn Bath:

Water Warrior Doing Whatever it Takes to Clean Newfoundland’s Harbours

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Last year Bath was awarded the Stan Hodgkiss Outdoorsperson of the Year award from the Canadian Wildlife Federation.

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COURTESY CLEAN HARBOURS INITIATIVE

BY TRACY HOWARD

ith its dramatic landscapes and majestic coastlines, Newfoundland is justifiably acclaimed as one of Canada’s most beautiful places.

But under the surface of the harbours and bays that dot its shores lies a dirty secret: these waters have long been used as a dumping ground for all matter of materials.

Enter Shawn Bath — a Newfoundlander originally from the town of Twillingate and now living in Bay Roberts — working tirelessly to remove garbage from local waters through his Clean Harbours Initiative (CHI). As a sea urchin diver for 21 years, Bath was accustomed to swimming over tires, appliances, batteries, bottles, fishing gear and other debris dumped by both industry and individuals.

But a few years ago, while diving near the Indian Islands located off central Newfoundland, he came across a ghost net — an abandoned or lost fishing net — full of crabs, sea urchins, a few sea birds, two manta rays, and, most heartbreaking to Bath, a dead harp seal entangled at its centre.

Bath, a 49-year-old father of three and stepfather of two, determined from the net’s positioning that the seal had tried to pull it to the surface in order to breathe. “That was a heart-wrenching moment because I know how big a fear your body goes through when you think you’re going to drown,” Bath says.

In response, in 2018 Bath founded Clean Harbours Initiative with a three-part focus: cleaning Newfoundland’s beaches; diving to clean up harbours; and using boats to drag up ghost gear.

Bath says it was a “hard sell” both at home and to other Newfoundlanders.

“I had to convince my family and friends and the province, I guess, that I’m going to give up work as a well-paid urchin harvester to go clean harbours, and I’m not going to have income for maybe a year or two. And we’re in a province where for hundreds of years a lot of trash was thrown overboard, and very few people realized the extent of the problem.” (A study by Memorial University’s Civic Laboratory for Environmental Action Research — CLEAR — which compiled data from 1962 to 2019 for Newfoundland and Labrador, found that 85 percent of its marine shoreline waste is plastic, and there’s an average density of more than 5,200 pieces of plastic in surface water per square kilometre.)

Diving into the mission Bath started off diving alone with the old gear he’d used harvesting sea urchins, and his own car to drag the tires out of harbours. His initial investment was

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COURTESY CLEAN HARBOURS INITIATIVE

THE ENVIRONMENT

Above: Shawn Bath aboard his dive boat, which was donated by the family of a diver and fisherman who died in 2019.

Left: Bath's friend Cory Bulgin assists with the launch of the boat in Cupids, N.L.

COURTESY CLEAN HARBOURS INITIATIVE

“As dedicated as Bath is to preserving the ocean now, he admits he’s an unlikely environmental crusader.”

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eight dollars of rope — eventually he bought a truck with his own funds.

“I’d jump in and tie on maybe 10 or 15 tires, then I’d swim back in, remove my diving gear, get aboard my truck and use it to haul the tires up over the side of the wharf,” Bath explains.

“Then I’d get geared up again and get back in the water and do the same thing.”

To document his work, he had a friend take photos of him in the water and of the trash, which he’d post on Facebook. Bath now wears a GoPro camera while diving.

Like many Newfoundlanders, Bath’s life has been largely defined by water. Beyond providing him with a living — he started commercial fishing at age 14, when he would help out his parents before school and during summers — the ocean and diving have always captured his imagination. But as dedicated as Bath is to preserving the ocean now, he admits he’s an unlikely environmental crusader.

“I was one of those guys who had a bag of chips and would drive up the highway and throw it out the window,” Bath says.

“But just because I was something in the past doesn’t mean I’ve got to remain that.” foundationmag.ca

CHRIS CROCKWELL

THE ENVIRONMENT

Sheryl Fink, IFAW's director of Canadian wildlife campaigns, helps out with a cleanup in Twillingate, N.L.

Growing support CHI has grown, thanks in large part to local support. Although at the time of writing Bath wasn’t diving due to COVID-19 restrictions, he says normally they go out weekly or every other week with three divers working at a time as well as several people assisting on shore. He estimates that to date, they’ve hauled out 1,750 standard-size car tires and 40,000 pounds of ocean trash (tires included).

One of the largest donations to date resulted from a tragedy.

The family of the late Lindsay Petten, a respected fisherman and diver from Port de Grave, donated his boat to Bath in February 2020. Petten died while diving two days before Christmas in 2019, and his son stunned Bath by gifting him Catch’a The Day, a vessel he had previously expressed interest in buying.

“I almost broke down, I gave him a big hug,” Bath recalls. “At that point, we were getting $20 and $50 donations, and, all of a sudden, his family’s donating a $30,000 boat.”

Catch’a The Day was retrofitted to serve as a dive boat by Vails Fiberglass Inc. Bath says while he originally took it in for a few repairs, they did a complete retrofit for free, amounting to an $18,000 donation. Bath is also grateful to Sheldon Peddle, foundationmag.ca

executive director of ACAP Humber Arm, a not-for-profit focused on marine issues in western Newfoundland, and Derek Bennett, the province’s environment minister, for helping fund the boat’s two motors.

The province’s Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture donated a second boat, which will be used to collect the trash gathered by divers. And while a few stores haven’t charged for supplies, he gives special mention to Avalon Industrial in Bay Roberts for frequently donating tools and equipment for the boats.

Additionally, Bath says he’s witnessed a change in attitudes.

When cleaning up harbours now, he says it’s common for whole towns to come out to help dispose of the haul.

“It’s going to be difficult for anybody to be throwing trash in the water now without getting an earful from people,” Bath says.

Getting to the next level Perhaps the largest assist has come from Sheryl Fink, whom Bath met through a Facebook group. Fink is director of Canadian wildlife campaigns for IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), and has spent much of her 23-year career with March/April 2021

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THE ENVIRONMENT

the organization working to end the East Coast commercial seal hunt. But with the commercial hunt disappearing, one of IFAW’s current priorities is protecting North Atlantic right whales, of which Fink advises there are only 360 left globally.

“Right whales are getting entangled in lobster and crab gear in particular, causing reduced reproduction rates and drowning,” Fink advises. “And all kinds of injury and trauma.”

With the obvious synergy between CHI’s cleanup work and IFAW’s mission to protect whales, Bath and Fink began talking about ways she could provide support. Fink, who’s based in Guelph, Ont., has since travelled to Newfoundland a few times to see the efforts in person, and through IFAW provided an initial small grant.

“Right whales are getting entangled in lobster and crab gear in particular...”

“I think Shawn’s doing a fantastic job,” Fink says. “I never would have thought I would get excited about cleaning tires out of the ocean, but every time I talk to him, I get excited about what he’s doing again.”

While Fink loves Bath’s passion and praises his success in getting local media attention and community support, she’s using her background in campaigns to assist with strategy and organization. “Shawn has very big dreams,” says Fink.

“But strategy, planning, monitoring, evaluation and impact reporting are all very important components that weren’t being considered to the extent they perhaps need to be, in order to successfully apply for further funding.”

Fink was instrumental in helping secure $80,000 from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) Zero Plastic Waste Initiative, which Bath has used toward a boat trailer, his own wages, equipment and a website Fink is helping him build.

Additionally, Fink has worked with Bath on marketing techniques and maintaining communication with donors, and she’s creating a report on marine plastic debris in the province and best practices on how to do shallow-water cleanup.

But the collaboration hasn’t been without controversy due to IFAW’s role in fighting the seal hunt. As IFAW’s name was attached to the federal funding, some provincial politicians tried to block it. Ultimately, they weren’t successful, and Bath received the funding this past January.

“Shawn and I are working together to show that even those who have historically been on opposite ‘sides’ of an issue can still come together for a greater good,” Fink says.

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Funding challenges As the agreement with ECCC will end next March, Fink continues to look for other grants. She also encourages Bath to focus on capacity-building and other long-term goals to take CHI to the next level.

While Bath originally intended for Clean Harbours Initiative to be a non-profit, he recently received a certificate of incorporation in order to be eligible for grants available only to corporations.

Bath estimates he’s put $100,000 of his own money into this work, and while the ECCC funds have helped, he’d like to be able to pay the other divers.

“We’re trying to make this a commercial outfit because nobody can afford to volunteer their time on the scale this needs to be done, which is five days a week,” says Bath.

His fundraising efforts include selling ad space on his boats, making T-shirts and working tirelessly to raise awareness of what he’s doing and the need for it. Additionally, he’s raised over $13,000 through a GoFundMe campaign.

Bath has been assisted by his partner, Staunene Whelan, who in addition to having covered the household expenses while he was starting the initiative, raises funds on her CHI Sea Shoppe Facebook page selling jewellery she makes from sea glass and porcelain pieces from dive finds.

Highs and lows Bath has received some impressive acclaim for his efforts. Last year he was awarded the Stan Hodgkiss Outdoorsperson of the Year award from the Canadian Wildlife Federation.

And an 88-minute documentary, Hell or Clean Water, directed

by Cody Westman, depicts Bath’s mission. It will be available for streaming beginning April 29 as part of the 2021 Hot Docs Festival.

“You felt really good when you won awards, and when you got donations and stuff like boats was enough to make you cry,” Bath says. “But there’s times we struggled financially to do this and it almost cost me my relationship.”

Looking ahead Bath remains driven by what’s left to do. “Although we’ve had so much help, we still have less than 10 percent of the gear needed to grow this initiative to what it needs to become to stop the drowning of whales and to clean our ocean floors.”

His ultimate goal is to haul out 100,000 tires, 10,000 ghost nets and a million-plus pounds of trash with at least five crews and 10 boats working year round, as well as expand his efforts to other parts of North America.

“I just love the water, I love what I’m doing,” Bath explains.

“I’ve gone so far, I’ve suffered so much in trying to get it off the ground, there’s no way I’d give it up now.”

To learn more, visit Clean Harbour Initiative’s Facebook page. CHI accepts donations through Interac e-Transfer and at its GoFundMe page.

foundationmag.ca

THE ENVIRONMENT

Doing our part for the oceans

Bath’s ultimate goal is to haul out 100,000 tires. foundationmag.ca

March/April 2021

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COURTESY CLEAN HARBOURS INITIATIVE

Most of us have heard about the dangers of plastic straws and other plastics that break down into microscopic particles polluting waters and harming the marine life that ingest them. But, beyond avoiding these products, what can we do? Some ideas: ❯❯ Shawn Bath, founder of Clean Harbours Initiative, says to refrain from flushing non-biodegradable items down the toilet. “Probably 50 percent of the plastic that pollutes beaches and oceans are syringes, tampon applicators, condoms and other stuff that doesn’t break down well,” says Bath. ❯❯ Bath would also like to see a ban on the use of rubber tires for bumpers on wharves because they often break off and end up on the ocean floor. “Every tire takes 60 to 80 years to break down and become microplastic,” Bath says.

“They say every three to four mussels has 12 pieces of microplastic in them — and most Newfoundlanders love to eat local mussels.” ❯❯ He reminds people when boating or fishing to bring back all their trash. ❯❯ Pick up litter and garbage near beaches. ❯❯ Eat sustainable seafood. According to a 2020 report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 34 percent of the world’s fisheries are overfished.

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PROFILE

l a t n e d i c c A Rescuer The

Judanna Dawn helped save a badly injured dog 13 years ago — little did she know, she was beginning her life’s work

S

BY TRACY HOWARD

ince opening Angel’s Animal Rescue 13 years ago, Judanna Dawn has rescued, rehabilitated and found new homes for nearly 10,000 dogs and hundreds of other animals who’ve faced abuse and neglect. But running a rescue hadn’t been on her radar until a fatal car accident intervened.

In 2008, shortly after Dawn and her then husband had married and moved onto a 27-acre property near Merritt in B.C.’s Nicola Valley, he witnessed two people go through a van windshield after the vehicle hit a rock wall. Tragically, those people died, but an unconscious woman still in the van survived as did a dog whom Dawn’s husband later noticed drag himself up from an embankment. After an ambulance team arrived and administered care, Dawn’s husband asked about the dog and was told he wasn’t their responsibility. Not knowing whom the dog belonged to, he took it to a veterinarian and found out the animal needed a leg amputated.

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Left: Judanna Dawn with Memphis and Keeper, two of the rescue dogs she's adopted.

Centre: Memphis and Keeper with rescued horse Daisy.

Right: Charlotte chowing down.

PHOTOS COURTESY JUDANNA DAWN

Returning home, Dawn’s husband informed her he’d volunteered them to fundraise to pay for the dog’s care. “I don’t know how to fundraise,” Dawn recalls saying. “I’m the one who donates.”

But the couple collected money outside a local grocery store, and were shocked to see people lining up around the block to donate. “And everybody that came up to us said: I know a dog chained to a tree or I know a dog being beaten or I know a dog that’s starving,” advises Dawn.

So they decided to start a non-profit for animals in need. (It’s now a registered charity.) The woman who survived the collision later contacted them asking if they had her dog, “Angel” — and the organization had found its name. (Once both the woman and Angel had recovered, Dawn reunited them.)

In their first two weeks, Dawn says they had 16 dogs “on their death bed” and they didn’t yet have fencing. When Dawn took them for walks, she says: “The dogs didn’t want to leave my side, they knew they’d found safety.” foundationmag.ca

PROFILE

They started fencing off areas and eventually constructed a large building for the dogs. The workload became heavier in 2014 when Dawn divorced and began running Angel’s on her own, with the support of about a dozen core volunteers and a board of directors. “People think I’d love to run an animal rescue,” she says. “Well, you wouldn’t — it’s a lot of picking up poop, scrubbing floors and cleaning the animals.”

Dawn also works about four days a week as a paramedic. She started her career as a social worker helping abused children — training that comes in handy when going into sometimes hostile environments to pick up animals in danger. While she’ll occasionally have an RCMP officer accompanying her, she often goes alone. “You can’t go in with judgment. I think it’s natural for me to be able to see all the different aspects and dynamics that caused the situation.”

Dawn stresses she guarantees confidentiality to anyone reporting abuse or neglect, and people are never forced to give up their animals, but asked to sign a surrender form.

Beyond rescuing, Dawn wants the animals to have good lives when they’re with her and when they get adopted after a strict screening process. “We have a huge yard for them to play in, and they’re always together. But they also get walked daily because it’s important for them to get out and use their nose, which encourages them to use their brain.”

As for the toughest part of the work?

“When you finally get them into your care and they die in your arms four days later, that’s the worst thing ever,” Dawn says.

Fortunately that didn’t happen to Keeper, a hound who came to foundationmag.ca

Angel, not long after his rescue and operation.

Judanna with Angel, her first rescue and the namesake for the organization. One of his legs was amputated after a car crash.

Some of the loyal volunteers and dogs at Angel’s Animal Rescue.

A volunteer has some quality time with a rescued donkey.

March/April 2021

Angel’s after his owner shot off the top of his head. After overseeing Keeper’s recuperation, Dawn adopted him. She also adopted Memphis, a female husky, and has several “lifers” who are difficult to place, including a wolf hybrid and a huge pig named Charlotte.

“What Charlotte wants, Charlotte gets because she’s almost 1,000 pounds and nobody wants to argue with her,” quips Dawn. Angel’s has cared for a range of other animals, including donkeys, goats, boars and an owl that had been kept in a cage for several years.

Dawn relies on and is thankful for both personal and corporate donations. When necessary, she’s dipped into her own money, as have some volunteers. Earlier this year, 100 Women Who Care Kamloops donated $8,000, which Dawn hopes to use to fund a program for foster children at the rescue.

Angel’s charges a $450 adoption fee for dogs six months and older, but Dawn advises it costs them at least $500 in vet expenses per dog, and more if injured. Each dog is treated for parasites, vaccinated, receives a permanent ID, and most also need spaying or neutering.

Despite the challenges, Dawn recognizes the rescue’s impact. In the first eight years, they averaged between 26 and 42 dogs in their care, but she says currently there are only six in rehabilitation that need to be adopted.

“It would be nice to live in a world where we never had to rescue another animal,” says Dawn. “But in the meantime, we want to be there to do that.”

For more information, visit angelsanimalrescue.ca . Donations are accepted via Interac eTransfer, the “donate” button on their website or by cheque.

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IN CONVERSATION

DIVERSIFYING DIVERSITY A Conversation About Intersectionality: Part One

A

BY TANYA HANNAH RUMBLE, CFRE AND MARIYA YUROKOVA, MBA, CFRE

s we continue to celebrate women in the aftermath of International Women's Day it is heartening to see more women than ever before in leadership roles across industries. This includes the non-profit and fundraising sector with over 70 percent of people working in fundraising identifying as women.

What we wonder, however, is where are the racially diverse women, the indigenous women, queer women, differentlyabled women, trans-women, and newcomer women?

While being overrepresented in the sector as a whole, women, and particularly diverse women, are grossly underrepresented in leadership positions and board seats. Moreover, they are on average 5 years younger than their male counterparts and predominately white.

A recent salary survey by Charity Village also revealed a 26 percent pay gap among male and female leaders in the sector.

This is largely due to men dominating leadership positions in larger organizations. The data on the intersections among gender, race, sexual orientation and different abilities is scarce and mostly nonexistent.

So while women comprise more than 70 percent of the 24

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nonprofit sector, there are significant gaps in the advancement of women in the sector and when it comes to diverse women the gap is more like a chasm.

We assert that cis-gendered white women with education and economic privilege who were instrumental in creating a robust non-profit sector may be acting as sentries and limiting access for women and non-binary folks with layered intersectional identities to ascend into leadership roles within the fundraising sector. Do we suggest that these women should step aside completely? No, but can there be greater representation of racially diverse, Indigenous, queer, differently-abled women and non-binary leaders in the non-profit sector? Yes, and power and privilege must be shared to benefit from the lived and professional experiences of these women of diverse backgrounds.

Research consistently points to what we know as individuals working in the non-profit sector — there is a diversity, equity and inclusion gap in non-profit leadership. The Daring to Lead report of 2006 found that 82 percent of executive directors were Caucasian. In 2014 a study conducted by D5 found that 92 percent of foundation executive directors were white. A 2018 foundationmag.ca

IN CONVERSATION white paper, The State of Diversity in Nonprofit and Foundation Leadership, found that 87 percent of all executive directors or presidents were white.

The disparities are evident at every indicator of power and influence across the non-profit sector. Results from a recent crowd-sourced Statistics Canada survey showed that women account for almost 60 percent of participants who are board members, while only 14 percent identified as being immigrants to Canada; 11 percent identified as belonging to a visible minority group; 8 percent identified as LGBTQ2+ individuals; 6 percent identified as persons with a disability; and 3 percent identified as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.

The data paints a clear picture, but stories are also an important source of knowledge and inspiration.

In part one of this two-part series we introduce you to four positional leaders in the Canadian non-profit community.

Our hope is that you will be inspired by their stories — about what they wish they had when they were new fundraising professionals; who inspires them; and what they are doing now to share their power and privilege with the next generation of emerging leaders in the sector.

If you were introducing yourself to a group of new colleagues what would you share?

Nicole McVan Vice-President, Philanthropy and Marketing with United Way Greater Toronto Introducing my authentic self is a process that can be quick or slow depending on how safe I feel. Going beyond my role, my interests, and the small talk really depends on who is in the proverbial room and the cues I get. If I feel safe, I will share that I am transgender and nonbinary, a parent, and that I struggle with periodic anxiety. As a White person, I have so much privilege, and I have the ability to hide some of my intersectionalities if I am not ready to share. I often think about my colleagues who cannot hide and consider how do I show up in a way that will increase inclusivity and signal that racism, ableism, sanism, fat-phobia, xenophobia and discrimination is absolutely not acceptable.

Tycely Williams Chief Development Officer with America’s Promise Alliance I’m a black woman who is the proud descendant of slaves. I value fairness, honesty, and integrity.

I like to laugh and love to learn.

Sharon Redsky Fundraising Consultant My name is Sharon Redsky, I acknowledge the ancestral traditional territory of Treaty #1 and homeland of the Metis Nation that I have the privilege of living on. I also acknowledge Treaty #3 traditional foundationmag.ca

territory of my ancestors and Shoal Lake First Nation #40 which is primary water source for Winnipeg and continues to have a boil water advisory.

Paul Nazarath Vice-President, Education with Canadian Association of Gift Planners As a BIPOC professional I talk about armour a lot, I am more open about it now because of the racial context and open conversations we are having which is great. I have come up in our sector and my career with what I call “violent code-switching” which only my tiny group of personal friends and family get to see as my full self, but an armoured up, white-friendly face is my usual introduction to any mixed audience. These days I do reach out to young professionals and other BIPOC peers to have a more personal introduction and safe discussion with them, to offer my support in any way possible and I now privately mentor a network of BIPOC fundraisers with the express purpose to mentor, coach, network connect and now, bankroll any education or opportunities possible.

But I don’t feel safe and if one more white cisgender person gives me a lecture about “authenticity” and “bringing your whole self to work” I’m going to explode. Because the second I express my authentic self as a person of colour and alternative culture, they immediately are threatened and close doors, their network and opportunities.

Did you have role models to aspire to when you began your career? If not, why? If yes, who were they and why did they inspire you?

Williams: When I began my career in 1997, I had two meaningful role models. Lucille Elizabeth Anderson, my maternal grandmother was my most cherished and Dr. Maya Angelou, my beloved college professor was my most notable. My grandmother never worked outside the home — but, her active voluntarism in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, NAACP, Girl Scouts, and YWCA never contained her to the walls of her residence. My grandmother, only the second generation removed from slavery, deeply believed in civil liberties. She viewed the not-for-profit sector as an important means to actualize moral behavior. My grandmother inspired me early on to value more than money — she taught me the immense value of a volunteer’s time and the undeniable social value of a champion’s heart. My teacher, a highly acclaimed global literary genius, deeply believed in courage and compassion. She relentlessly advocated for the fair treatment of every human being. My teacher inspired me in my early twenties to value diversity — she taught me to genuinely listen to varying viewpoints and love different cultures.

Redsky: I have been so fortunate to be surrounded by strong and resilient women role models, who are the backbone to our communities. I credit them for supporting and encouraging me over the years. They have helped me understand that March/April 2021

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IN CONVERSATION leadership takes many forms, and everyone has gifts to offer.

They have taught me that reciprocity and generosity are sacred responsibilities that need to be rooted in our connections to the land, water and each other.

An example is my member community Shoal Lake #40 First Nation. For over 100 years they have been supplying fresh water to Winnipeg, cut off from road access and under a 24-year boil water advisory. I remember back in 2007, the women from Shoal Lake #40 led a 155km walk to Winnipeg that included Elders and children to raise awareness about the lack of clean water and need for road access. Despite promises made and broken by governments for their basic human rights of access and clean water, they preserved. Finally, in 2015 all three level of governments agreed to fund an access road named ‘Freedom Road, and a water treatment plant.

Do you have role models now and who are they and why do they inspire you?

McVan: All too often we think of role models as more senior people than ourselves. While it can be helpful to look ‘up’, I am finding more and more that it is more helpful to ‘look across’.

So many of my role models are the people I work with everyday in my organization. The people that say the hard things in meetings, that call out microaggressions, and who ask me tough questions to hold me accountable. As I age, I am finding that some of my most powerful role models are the younger folks I work with whose value systems are generally more inline with where I want to go and how I want to be. That isn’t to say old folks like me aren’t value driven; I just think that we overlook the people in our circles too often as sources of inspiration and incredible knowledge.

Williams: Six years ago, when I turned 40 years old, I decided my future self would be my most influential role model. After spending four decades looking outward, I put pen to paper to describe my aspirational self by looking inward. I want to care about the unmet needs of people. I want to be courageous and eradicate the unmet needs of people. I want to be capable and secure the human and financial resources needed to fulfill the unmet needs of people. While I glean external inspiration from the likes of the late U.S. Congressman John Lewis, Amanda Gorman, and Malala Yousafzai, I seek to inspire myself to be caring, courageous, and capable.

Nazarath: Now, I am very happy to say that I have many BIPOC role models! Krishan Mehta, Mide Akerewusi, Sharon Redsky, Tim Fox, Kris Archie, Naten Obed — there truly are so many more people now to look up to… and I’m excited to say more people to support and slingshot past me to a new echelon of access, opportunity and success.

How do you relate to the idea of being a role model? What are the specific strategies you use to share your power and 26

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March/April 2021

privilege with others in the sector?

Redsky: I can only hope that I can be a positive role model for my daughter. Back in 2016, I was honoured to be awarded with a YMCA Women of Distinction Award. I was humbled to accept the award because there were many other deserving women.

What I will always remember most of that day was the look of pride in my young daughter’s eyes as she stood with me when I accepted the award. We owe it to our children to make the world a better place.

Nazarath: I have put myself out there in the past ten years of my twenty year career, not totally as a role model but someone who exists to create access and opportunity for all, with a focus on BIPOC professionals. Being an executive now, and being a very intentional mentor to many I am comfortable with the idea of being a role model because I strategize very intentionally about how to share my access and spend both my social capital and personal funds to support BIPOC advancement. I have confronted my own issues of Brown/Asian supremacy, fragility and painful manipulation by white supremacy as a surrogate and tool of the system against Black and Indigenous people. I am now committed to active learning. Being born and raised in Ontario too means that my own reconciliation journey is stunted by poor education and not just anti-Indigenous intent but the vacuum, the cancellation of Indigenous existence before the TRC. It’s now part of my personal strategy, my job, my work, my mission.

McVan: I feel good about being considered a role model now. I don’t see many queer women and transgender and non-binary people in leadership roles so if I am able to be a visible marker for someone, then I am proud to be one. I think visibility matters and that we need to see people that are like us to know that things are possible. Growing up in a small town in the 1980’s meant that I have no queer folks to look up to. It made me feel like a freak of nature and I buried much of my authenticity deep down inside so that I wasn’t discovered. The internalized homophobia and transphobia I am working through now is a direct result of not having role models. I don’t want that same fate for other folks so I will be visible even when it scares me.

The strategies I use to share my power and privilege are to mentor and have informal and sporadic conversations with folks, to write and speak on power, privilege and equity and inclusion.

Beyond role models, what are the individual, organizational and system-wide changes that need to take place so that all levels of leadership in the fundraising sector have representation from diverse communities and intersectional identities?

Nazarath: We need: board representation;

❯❯

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IN CONVERSATION ❯❯

❯❯ ❯❯

to unravel the supremacy and power dynamics in fundraising and philanthropy (this will be very hard and messy as it will be operating on a patient without anesthetic, working on the engine of a car while it’s driving); executive diversity not just diversity at the bottom; and and to change the donor/charity social contract around power and money.

Williams: I gained initial confidence to be a role model because I had two loving parents willing to teach me. I gained continuous confidence because they were also willing to learn from their pupil. We need more organizational and system-wide changes to mindsets. We need people who are open to learn and people who are willing to teach. We need people who understand that learning is multi-directional — literally, an interdependent intellectual exchange. At times, the teacher instructs and the student learns. At other times, the student instructs and the teacher learns. In the most highest-performing environments, both the teacher and the student identify as a learner. Systems and many strategies were created without the input or insights from diverse and intersectional identities. Our systems and strategies often work for some and not all. People in power need to make better decisions. If something works for some and not all, it doesn’t work. If we want a fundraising sector that works, it must work for all and not some. This is a simple problem to solve, we need decision makers to prioritize inclusion, value diversity, advance equity, and ensure access.

McVan: We need to invest in equity work in our sector. To me that means paying for this work to conduct an equity audit, reviewing our policies to make them more inclusive, improving our recruitment practices (and paying for it) to find more diverse candidates, formalizing and normalizing the equity training and work internally. In regards to paying for this work, we need to think of this the same we think of other consulting and costs of our work; by asking people to do this for free we are saying that there is no value in this work and that sends the wrong message.

And if you are looking for some quick ways to be more inclusive to support queer and gender diverse people, here you go: 1. Learn the difference between sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

2. Put pronouns in your bio, email signature, verbal introduction and on your zoom feed to normalize this.

3. Ask for pronouns instead of assuming.

4. Don’t comment on people’s appearance or dress.

5. Don’t ask inappropriate questions about people’s love life, identity or anything else.

6. Follow some queer activists online so you can fill your feed with knowledge.

7. Remove old turns of phrase that are transphobic or homophobic.

8. Before asking a question, ask if you can ask the question (read that twice). foundationmag.ca

9. Do the work yourself — have questions? Use the internet.

There is a wealth on information out there that you can find yourself.

10. When you screw up (and you will), apologize and don’t explain your intentions.

Redsky: I believe the most pressing system-wide change in the fundraising sector is to respond to the 94 calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation and the 231 Call to Justice from the national inquiry into Murdered Missing Indigenous Women and Girls. As I have learned from my role models, we need to listen to our communities because they have the wisdom and solutions. As a sector we can learn and acknowledge who lands we live on, we can be an ally with Indigenous people and create spaces for Indigenous voices to be heard.

A wise and dear friend often reminds me: reading about mountains does not make you a mountain climber. We are grateful to you for taking the time to read this article and having the privilege to glimpse into the lived and professional experiences of Sharon Redsky, Nicole McVan, Tycely Williams and Paul Nazareth.

We hope that the inspiration prompts action rather than inertia. How too can we all be role models for the next generation of non-profit and fundraising professionals?

Part 2 Next Issue TANYA HANNAH Rumble, CFRE, MFA-P™, is a fundraising leader who has raised millions for some of Canada's largest charities. Tanya is passionate about equity, diversity and inclusion; and power and privilege and how these intersect with philanthropy. Tanya holds an Honours Bachelor or Arts in Political Science from McMaster, earned a Graduate Certificate in Marketing Communications at NYU; she is also a graduate of the AFP Inclusion and Philanthropy Fellowship, and DiverseCity Fellowship. Tanya is a new mom, a voracious consumer of podcasts, and a baking enthusiast. Tanya gratefully acknowledges the traditional territories of the Mississauga and Haudenosaunee nations, whose traditional territory she lives and works with her husband and young son.

MARIYA YURUKOVA, MBA, CFRE, is an experienced fundraiser and thought leader in the nonprofit sector. With over fifteen years of experience in fundraising, Mariya has raised more than $20 million for various organizations, working on gifts ranging from millions to direct marketing campaigns for first time donors. Mariya is an active voice and advocate for diversity and inclusion in the nonprofit sector, with publications in Hilborn Charity E-News, Advancing Philanthropy, CASE Currents Magazine and many more. Mariya. As a first generation immigrant woman and part of an interracial family, Mariya is keenly aware of systemic inequities in the nonprofit sector and works towards advancing social justice causes while acknowledging her own privilege.

Sources and references https://theonn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Womens-Voices-October-2018.pdf https://www.compasspoint.org/sites/default/files/documents/194_daringtolead06final.pdf http://www.d5coalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/D5-State-of-the-Work-ExecutiveSummary-2014.pdf http://www.battaliawinston.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/nonprofit_white_paper.pdf https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/210211/dq210211a-eng.htm https://charityvillage.com/introducing-the-2021-canadian-nonprofit-sector-salary-benefits-report/

March/April 2021

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PHILANTHROPIST PROFILE

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foundationmag.ca

PHILANTHROPIST PROFILE

From Patient to Activist

How Former Pro Soccer Player Julian Uccello Makes the Most of his “New Normal” Life

F

BY STAFF

or Julian Uccello, being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2011 was a shock to his career as a pro soccer player in Italy, and to his identity. How a person who had been a fully functioning athlete reacted to his new fate is a story of the best possible positive approach to turn his misfortune into a new way of life that could benefit as many people as possible.

Today, Uccello works with StateView Homes Ltd. in Woodbridge, Ontario, as vice president of operations and sales but part of his mission is to be the lead ambassador for MS4MS (Mission Stadiums for Multiple Sclerosis), a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the disease at sports stadiums.

Fundraising efforts go toward helping the families of loved ones who have the disease, and to the advancement of research at Johns Hopkins Project Restore MS Research Centre in Baltimore, Maryland, in the hopes of finding a cure.

“I was inspired by Dennis Lindsay, the owner of The Athlete’s Gym, a sport-specific training centre for pro athletes on Chesswood Drive in Toronto, Julian says. “Dennis has been my trainer, a good friend and like a second father to me for over 25 years. He came to me and said he wanted to do something to help find a cure for MS. He’s donating what he raises in the Badwater Marathon, the world’s toughest foot race, from April 1 to 16. He’ll cover 30km a day. I walk with a cane, and I will be happy to cover 2km. It will be tough, but I’ve always gotten through the difficult tests that life has handed me. This certainly means a lot to me.”

Born in Toronto in 1986, Julian played youth soccer for clubs in Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Kleinburg, Nobleton and Woodbridge.

After moving to Italy, he played over 300 games and scored more than 150 goals during his professional career, initially playing for AC Milan (2003-2004), then Savona (loan 20042005), AC Sansovino (2005-2006), Sansepolcro (on loan 2005), Forte dei Marmi (2006-2007), Rivarolese (2007-2008), Casale

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In April of this year, he established a ‘GoFundMe’ page to raise funds in a special “walk”.

From April 1 through 16, he was determined to walk 2 kilometres each day, with all donations to support his effort will go to MS4MS.

March/April 2021

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PHILANTHROPIST PROFILE

(2008-2009), FC Crotone (2009-2012). this terrible pandemic is behind us,” “I dreamed of playing soccer from he says. Founded in 2010 by principals the time I was three years old,” Julian who have 35+ years of collective says, “so I was living my dream as a industry experience, StateView Homes professional athlete. Then one day is dedicated to crafting distinctive in 2011, I awoke with numbness niche communities that speak to and pain in my right arm. Medical homeowners’ individuality, design tests confirmed that I had MS. preferences and lifestyle aspirations.

I was devastated.”

He is also proud of the philanthropic Returning to Canada, Julian work which is an important part of the struggled with depression.

“I culture at StateView, including their had always based my identity on support of Toronto’s SickKids Hospital Julian played youth soccer for clubs in Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Kleinburg, Nobleton and Woodbridge. He soccer,” he explained. “So, I felt like and MS4MS. “We’re dedicated played for TFC II, whose home games were in York Region, I could never be normal again. I to helping families by creating north of Toronto. After moving to Italy, he played over remember talking with Dennis for exceptional new home communities 300 games and scored more than 150 goals during his hours, helping me realize what and supporting families in need in professional career.

I was feeling was real, but that I the greater community,” Julian said. should deal with it in a positive way.

The company’s newest residential Mission Stadiums for Multiple Sclerosis With his help and the unwavering community is called BEA in Barrie, (MS4MS) was funded in 2011 in a college support of my family, I accepted my ON. When the community is apartment at Southern CT State University new normal, and now realize people launched this Spring, for every Today, it is a nationally recognized nonsuffering from MS can still make home sale, StateView will donate profit making big impacts in the lives valuable contributions to society.” $5,000 towards a dedicated charity. of MS warriors and their families. This Julian Uccello’s family includes In April of this year, he established registered non-profit organization raises wife Ashley, two-year old Alessia, a ‘GoFundMe’ page to raise funds awareness of MS at all sports stadium his parents, Frank and Bartholina in a special “walk”. From April 1 while raising funds for families with MS (Bart); twin brothers Michael (who through 16, he was determined to warriors and the advancement of research is attending Toronto Film School walk 2 kilometres each day, with all at the Johns Hopkins Project Restore MS and who directed a recent film donations to support his effort will Research Center in the hopes of finding documenting Julian’s experiences) go to MS4MS. a cure. There, researchers also try new and Luca (who is currently with Besides family and work, what clinical trials that help doctors come up Toronto FC II and the Canadian does the future hold? “I plan to with exciting treatment strategies, novel National Team); sister Melissa and spread more awareness for MS by therapies and lifestyle modifications.

Brother In-Law Carlo; and nieces being in the public eye even more,” That hospital is a leader in the field, with and nephews, “I used to think of he says. “I want to encourage experts who are dedicated to providing Italy as my home, but now, my home people who have MS to challenge targeted diagnoses and treatments. is where my family lives. I’m proud themselves and live out new to call Canada home.” dreams, and to inspire the general A big part of Julian’s life is public to donate toward finding a his involvement with real estate cure someday. As for my own life, I developers, StateView Homes Ltd. When he returned to continue with physiotherapy, and I envision going for a walk Canada, he says he thought all he knew was soccer, but he with my daughter and carrying her down the stairs without became a real estate agent like his dad. Then in 2013, he joined being afraid of falling. I’ve had trainers my whole life; now it’s StateView Homes’ sales department and has climbed the ladder self-motivation.” to become Vice President of Operations & Sales. He has always As MS4MS is a sports-oriented charity, Julian feels an worked hard and long days which he continues to do, but affinity with the organization. For those first two weeks of “now I am totally devoted to spending as much quality time April, he will push himself to his physical limit and will share as possible with my family.” Pre-COVID, he was also involved live videos and photos of his walk. “I’m so grateful for all I’ve in coaching youth soccer for the U-15 Woodbridge Strikers been given in life,” he explains. “Now I want to give back even ranked 2nd Nationally. “I look forward to coaching again once more. We must never give up on finding a cure.” foundationmag.ca

March/April 2021

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CHARITY PROFILES

The Animal Guardian Society

I

t’s been over 30 years since Kathy Asling found an 8-weekold puppy on the street. She immediately called every possible link to the pup’s owners and ran an advertisement in her local newspaper. A reporter who saw the ad called Kathy to write a cover story.

Although no owner was ever located, she received almost 200 calls to adopt the puppy. She instinctively screened prospective adopters and conducted home visits. Kathy decided on a home but had names and numbers of several families she felt would provide a loving home to a dog. The next day she visited the local shelter and started ‘match making’ by contacting the people who had called her looking to adopt.

Identifying the need for someone to step up and save the lives of good dogs from being put to death, Kathy and her daughter created the name The Animal Guardian Society (TAGS). In March of 1987 the first Durham Region based rescue was formed.

Kathy set out to meet with individuals who could mentor and guide her into developing a program that would operate with integrity and ethics that would promote humane education to our community and find homes for displaced animals.

Perhaps the most difficult task in the early days was creating relationships with Animal Controls. Rescue in those days was a foreign word, and the constant struggle to save animals from death and research labs became a task that proved to be emotionally and physical draining. It soon became evident that this was not the job for one person. Kathy needed help.

Now 30 years later and thousands of dogs successfully re-homed, she has yet to stop! Kathy and her corps of volunteers work closely with animal shelters, humane societies, and the community to improve the lives of canine citizens.

Today, TAGS is a charitable non-profit organization and does not receive any government funding. We are entirely reliant on public donations for funds. Other than monetary donations, TAGS needs other pet care items like good quality dog food, dog beds and blankets, leashes and collars, winter coats, dog toys, etc. We also need other items like building materials and services.

To donate visit our website at www.animalguardian.org or see our donation information at Canada Helps https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/13492

We welcome your feedback and your questions. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments you have.

General information about our program or volunteering: tagsinfo@animalguardian.org Telephone:

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March/April 2021

905-263-TAGS (8247) foundationmag.ca

CHARITY PROFILES

How Will You Leave Your Mark on the Community You Called Home?

I

n 1902, James Ross donated funds to build and equip a much-needed hospital to care for people in the Kawartha Lakes. Five generations later, with every gift, our donors continue to touch patients’ lives by supporting vital hospital needs that are not covered through government funding.

Through their generous support for medical equipment, lifesaving technology and priority projects, donors help the Ross Team provide 24/7 care, and inspire brighter tomorrows.

You can make a lasting impact on patient care with a legacy gift. The Ross is the heart of the community and ensures exceptional care for our residents, seasonal residents and regional patients. By naming the Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation in your Will, you join generations of caring people in creating a legacy that supports the entire community.

We are honoured to be considered in your legacy plans and are here to answer your questions. Let’s talk about the role you want to play in advancing health care for people in the Kawartha Lakes. How will you touch the next generation?

Erin Coons, CFRE, CEO, RMH Foundation 705-328-6113 | ecoons@rmh.org | www.rmh.org/foundation

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DISTRIBUTION November 2021 PLUS…When the GTA GIVING GUIDE is published, Foundation Magazine’s website will feature the editorial stories from all participating charities. Each story will have a live link to allow visitors to get more information about your non-profit.

In addition, Foundation Magazine readers will be able to download a digital copy of the Guide to keep on their computer or mobile device, which means added exposure to an ongoing audience of potential new corporate sponsors, donors and high net worth individuals.

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GUIDE

The Animal Guar dian Society

I

t’s been over 30 years since Kathy Asling found old puppy

on the street. an 8-weekShe immediately As an animal possible link to rescue group called every the pup’s in her local newspaper. owners and ran an advertisement microchip pets. You cannot we know how important it is to predict what will A reporter who Kathy to write happen in the saw the ad called future so we always advise a cover responsible pet an appointment Although no owner story. owners to for was ever located, procedure. It’s better this quick and painless 5 minute make calls to adopt the she received almost puppy. (or less) to be safe than 200 options sorry. With other adopters and conducted She instinctively screened out there, we also expensive prospective know that home visits. Kathy not to proceed but had names decided on with micro-chipping many pet owners decide and provide a loving numbers of several families she a home price. That is why their pets because TAGS initiated home to a dog. felt would saving of the a cheap way to The next day she local shelter and a good amount microchip, visited started ‘match of people who had making’ by contacting the The revenue goes toward money (instead of paying $90 called her looking and up). a good cause the need through to adopt.

The Animal Guardian – helping dogs & cats in Society.

How We Use Your Money 100% of your donations goes to helping the program as we animals have in our far is the veterinary no paid staff. TAGS’s largest expense by bills. We want are healthy, and to be sure that sometimes this all our dogs means expensive or surgeries that medications cost hundreds or even thousands In addition, all TAGS dogs are of dollars. spayed and microchipped prior to adoption. or neutered, vaccinated to receive some While TAGS is donations of dog fortunate purchasing quality food, we also spend Identifying the dog food to feed need for someone money Other expenses to our dogs in of good dogs from to step up and include the production foster care. save the lives being put to death, and promotional created the name of training, educational material.

The Animal Guardian Kathy and her daughter To donate visit of 1987 the first Society (TAGS).

Durham Region our In March org based or see our donationwebsite at www.animalguard Kathy set out to meet with individualsrescue was formed. ian. information at https://www.cana guide her into Canada Helps dahelps.org/en/dn developing a program who could mentor and /13492 integrity and ethics that that would promote would operate with our community humane education and find homes to for displaced animals.

Vision Statement Perhaps the most relationships with difficult task in the early days ❯ To sustain the was creating operation of our Animal Controls. a foreign word, program and Rescue in those continue to serve and the constant days was and protect the from death and our community. animal citizens research labs becamestruggle to save animals of emotionally and ❯ To never see a task that proved physical draining. any animal abused, to be this was not the It abandoned or unwanted. job for one person. soon became evident that left ❯ To continue Kathy needed Now 30 years help. to provide medical later and thousands homed, she has care and training animals in our of dogs successfully yet care. to rework closely with to stop! Kathy and her corps ❯ To construct of volunteers a shelter that will animal shelters, community to provide safe housing humane societies, for animals until improve the lives permanent homes and the of canine ❯ To ensure that Today, TAGS is a charitable non-profit citizens. our shelter offers are found. not receive any a centre for learning and education organization and government funding. to does public donations ❯ To see no animal our community.

We are entirely for funds. Other reliant on put to death in TAGS needs other than monetary municipally run shelters because donations, pet care items like they are overlooked beds and blankets, good quality dog of space. or due to lack leashes and collars, food, dog We also need other ❯ To encourage winter coats, dog those items toys, etc.

The Animal Guardian like building materials and dedication to animalswho profess their love and services.

Society’s microchip to take a stand a popular tradition, participate in the to educate and offering inexpensive clinics have become pet owners in the ❯ To see the day cause of rescue.

Toronto and Durham microchip services for when rescue will no longer be necessary, as all Region area. animals will have 2 safe, loving homes.

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Get into the 2021 GTA Giving Guide and get your charity’s story and key mission statements, fundraising campaigns, major gift programs, sponsorship opportunities, accomplishments and donor stories into Toronto’s largest official guide to help major individual donors and corporate foundations find new ways to support your efforts. Reach more than 20,000 senior executives in marketing, finance and C-Suite leadership in the largest firms in the Toronto area. Headquarters of companies which allocate millions of dollars for donations, sponsorship, social programs, volunteering, governance, advice and insights. And whose leaders and proven individual donors.

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The Animal Guar dian Society

We Please feel free welcome your feedback and your questions. to contact us with any questions General information or comments t’s been over 30 you have. years since Kathy about our program Asling found an old puppy on or volunteering: the street. She 8-weektagsinfo@animalg Perhaps the most immediately called possible link to Telephone: uardian.org difficult the pup’s every in her local newspaper. owners and ran an advertisement relationships with Animal task in the early days was creating Controls.

A reporter who Kathy to write saw the ad called a foreign word, and the constant Rescue in those days was a cover from death and Although no owner story. research labs becamestruggle to save animals was ever located, emotionally and calls to adopt the a task that proved she received almost physical draining. puppy. to be 200 this was It soon became adopters and conducted She instinctively screened not the job for evident that prospective one person. Kathy home visits. Kathy Now 30 years but had names needed help. decided on later and thousands and provide a loving numbers of several families she a home homed, she has yet of dogs successfully to stop! home to a dog. felt would work reThe next day she local shelter and closely with animal Kathy and her corps of volunteers visited started ‘match shelters, humane people who had making’ by contacting the community to improve called her looking the lives of canine societies, and the the Today, TAGS is to adopt.

Identifying the a charitable non-profit citizens. need for someone not receive any of good dogs from to step up and organization and government funding. save the lives being put to death, does public created the name We are entirely reliant on The Animal Guardian Kathy and her daughter TAGS donations for funds. Other than monetary of 1987 the first needs other pet Society (TAGS). donations, Durham Region care In March beds based and blankets, leashes items like good quality dog food, Kathy set out to meet with individualsrescue was formed. dog and collars, We winter coats, dog guide her into also need other developing a program who could mentor and items like building toys, To donate visit integrity and ethics materials and services.etc. that our website that would promote would operate with org at www.animalguard our community or see our humane education and find homes ian. to https://www.cana donation information for displaced animals. at Canada Helps dahelps.org/en/dn /13492

I

foundationmag.ca

905-263-TAGS (8247)

We welcome your

feedback and your questions.

Please feel General information about our program free to contact us with any questions or volunteering: tagsinfo@animalguar or comments you have. dian.org Telephone:

4

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Each Ad includes equivalent space for editorial opposite your Ad, for all the details go to http://foundationmag.ca/gtagivingguide/

905-263-TAGS

The Animal Guard ian Society

Guide

(8247)

I

foundationmag.ca

t’s been over 30 years since Kathy old puppy on Asling found an the street. She 8-weekimmediately called possible link to the every in her local newspaper. pup’s owners and ran an advertisement A reporter who to write a cover saw the ad called story.

Kathy Although no owner was ever located, calls to adopt the she received almost puppy.

200 adopters and conducted She instinctively screened prospective home visits. Kathy but had names decided on and provide a loving numbers of several families she a home home to a dog. felt would The next day she local shelter and visited started ‘match people who had making’ by contacting the called her looking the to adopt.

Identifying the need for someone of good dogs from to step up and save the lives being put to death, created the name The Animal Guardian Kathy and her daughter of 1987 the first Society (TAGS).

Durham Region In March It is our mission based Kathy set out to to companion animals provide re-homing and medical meet with individualsrescue was formed. care to displaced and guide her into education, behaviour to support the community developing a program who could mentor and in areas of humane counseling, the integrity and ethics that promotion of ownership, and that would promote would operate with the needs of animals.responsible pet our community humane education and find homes to for displaced animals.

To donate visit We welcome your feedback and Please feel free our website your questions. to contact us org or see our at www.animalguard donation information General information with any questions or comments ian. https://www.cana about our program you at Canada Helps dahelps.org/en/dn or volunteering: have. tagsinfo@animalguar /13492 dian.org Telephone: 905-263-TAGS

The Animal Guard ian Society

(8247)

I

t’s been over 30 years since Kathy old puppy on Asling found an the street. She 8-weekimmediately called possible link to the every in her local newspaper. pup’s owners and ran an advertisement A reporter who to write a cover saw the ad called story.

Kathy Although no owner was ever located, calls to adopt the she received almost puppy.

200 adopters and conducted She instinctively screened prospective home visits. Kathy but had names decided on and provide a loving numbers of several families she a home home to a dog. felt would The next day she local shelter and visited started ‘match people who had making’ by contacting the called her looking the to adopt.

Identifying the need for someone of good dogs from to step up and save the lives being put to death, created the name The Animal Guardian Kathy and her daughter of 1987 the first Society (TAGS).

Durham Region In March It is our mission based to Kathy set out to companion animals provide re-homing and medical meet with individualsrescue was formed. care to displaced and guide her into education, behaviour to support the community developing a program who could mentor and in areas of humane counseling, the integrity and ethics that promotion of ownership, and that would promote would operate with the needs of animals.responsible pet our community humane education and find homes to for displaced animals.

We welcome your To donate visit feedback and Please feel free our website your questions. to contact us org or see our at www.animalguard General information with any questions or comments donation information ian. about our program https://www.cana you at Canada Helps or volunteering: have. dahelps.org/en/dn tagsinfo@animalguar /13492 foundationmag.ca

dian.org Telephone: 905-263-TAGS

(8247)

2021 GTA Giving

Guide

5

For more information call Steve Lloyd,

905-201-6600 x225 or steve.lloyd@lloydmedia.ca

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March/April 2021

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33

DONOR ANALYTICS

How Well Do You Know Your Donors?

Why now more than ever, it’s critical to understand your constituents

W

BY JENNIFER ROBINS

hether you are a local nonprofit on a shoe-string budget or a large national organization, understanding your constituent base and trends is critical to finding success in any given year, but increasingly relevant during a pandemic.

As we crossed the one-year anniversary of the pandemic and reflect to one of the most discussed areas of fundraising, legacy giving, I wanted to take a moment to dig into why your charity or not-for-profit organization should jump on this bandwagon.

Having worked with hundreds of not-for-profit clients over the past several years, there has been an evident shift in the conversation since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This challenging time has placed a spotlight on the importance of having a will, and for many thinking about the legacy they want to leave behind, which is not entirely surprising. It does not hurt that innovative companies like Wilful are leading the way by making creating a will, just so much easier.

Data geek that I am, I am going to use stats to paint the picture of the current landscape before diving deeper into how your charity or not-for-profit can seize the opportunity by identifying and deepening the discussion with your constituents about the kind of legacy and impact they want to make.

Key trends on transfer of wealth in Canada As Canada’s aging population and their net worth are projected to grow significantly over the next 10 years, the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth is expected to take place by means of inheritance. To-date nearly one-third of Canadian families have received some form of financial inheritance accounting for a total market of $576 billion according to Statistics Canada’s recent Survey of Financial Security. This inheritance value is expected to top $1Trillion by 2026. This is a significant moment in Canadian history and presents such an opportunity for not-for-profits to amplify the conversation about legacy gifts and how they can benefit Canadians today and tomorrow.

Boomers and the Silent Generation make up over 35 percent of the Canadian population, and they are the primary source 34

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for this wealth transfer. Many in this mature demographic have shown a strong desire to leave behind a legacy, primarily to their families but also to their communities. Unlike in times past, a large proportion of monies transferred in the coming years will be gifts that will be given during that person’s lifetime; there is a desire to see loved ones enjoying their inheritance whether that is through the pursuit of higher education or purchasing a first home or a dream vacation. With 40 percent of inheritance expected to be received by those 54 and under, the beneficiaries of these gifts will primarily be Gen X (age 40 to 54) and Millennials (age 25 to 39).

This new generation of beneficiaries is going to dramatically change the conversations you will be having with your organization’s donor base. Currently, these are likely annual and monthly givers, whose discretionary income has to-date been tied up in hefty mortgages and childcare payments, who very likely will start to see some relief with gifts from their parents and grandparents.

Inheritance across the country Not only are the landscapes across Canada different, from the Rocky Mountains on the Pacific Coast to the soft rolling hills of Atlantic Canada, but demographics, wealth and inheritances differ as well. Organizations that operate on the ground-level of these varying geographies know that something that works in Edmonton, Alberta is likely not going to be as effective in Montreal, Quebec.

When looking across the country, some interesting insights can be gleaned in terms of inheritance opportunities. In 2020, the estimated inheritance value was projected to be $36 Billion dollars, with Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta holding the lion’s share of 85 percent of the total national inheritance — not surprising given their population sizes.

However, when digging a little deeper there are some key differences between these provinces, as well as the largest cities in the country.

The average inheritance in British Columbia was $180,000, which is more than double the amount received in provinces such as Manitoba, Quebec, or Newfoundland. While looking at foundationmag.ca

DONOR ANALYTICS

the major cities, the city of Toronto has the highest incidence, almost double the number of households in Montreal who had expected to receive an inheritance in the next year. While the city of Vancouver, with fewer households projected to have received an inheritance, the average inheritance value is over $250,000 and the highest amongst all major cities.

Now thinking about individual organizations, how can you leverage this information on a more local level? Knowing your catchment areas, your constituent base and regional needs can help inform and support any initiatives that you take.

Recognizing and appreciating that the opportunities across the country differ and that your success in Kirkland, Ontario will look different than a colleagues’ success in Dauphin, Manitoba is important.

What does this shift in landscape mean for fundraising team?

Factoring in some of the key trends outlined above, how can your fundraising and planned giving team cultivate these donor relationships to maximize gifts over the coming years?

Leveraging the study conducted by the Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP), we know that a large proportion of Canadians view bequests as an either or — either leave a bequest to a charity or leave a bequest to my family. We in the charitable sector know that it does not have to be black and white, there is a lot of room for grey. Recognizing that a large contingent of Boomers want to see their legacy flourish in real time, perhaps now is the moment to think about blended gift asks — a gift now that they can see realized, and an additional gift as a bequest.

Conversely you and your organization can also start to dig into those younger beneficiaries and how you can reach them.

Since many are likely current annual and monthly donors in your database, the key is understanding which are going to be foundationmag.ca

receiving an inheritance, stewarding these constituents, and zeroing in on the right messaging to build that relationship over the long term. Being able to identify who these recipients are, can help organizations tailor their communications to align with the core values and beliefs of these constituents. Their priorities today are likely very different from those of their Boomer parents, and it may simply be a matter of educating them of the impact their families can start to make today.

With the outlook for the Canadian economy projected to continue to tighten as the pandemic continues through 2021, this is a great time to pause and evaluate if you and your organization are well positioned to benefit from the unprecedented transfer of wealth in the coming years.

JENNIFER ROBINS is Environics Analytics’ Not-For-Profit Lead. She has more than three years of experience helping charities of all sizes use #DataForGood to achieve their fundraising goals.

Sources: Statistics Canada’s Survey of Financial Security; DemoStats 2020; SocialValues2020; Source: Statistics Canada Survey of Financial Security. https://www.willpower.ca/about/

CYNTHIA J. ARMOUR CFRE Facilitation Training & Coaching • Strategic Planning • Change Management • Executive Coaching • Conference Speaker

• Board Governance • Fundraising • Communications • Rural Retreat

cja@elderstone.ca • (705) 799-0636 March/April 2021

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FUNDRAISING

How Nonprofits are Cutting Off Their Noses to Spite Their Faces

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BY BILLY SHARMA

he donation amounts most discouraged by charities are those very small gifts or mini-donations. Mini-donations are $3 or $5 or $10 amounts. Nonprofits vigorously discourage them right in their donation forms by stating in black and white: Receipts will be issued only for donations of $20 or $XX (depending on each charity).

However, what these small gifts lack in size, they make up for in impact, both for nonprofits and for the wider mass of donors who may have been touched by the charity’s vision in a targeted direct mail or a social media appeal.

So why are mini-donations being ignored or shunned by nonprofits? Most claim it’s too much of a hassle to deal with them. To which I ask: Really? Is your staff who are in charge of accepting and documenting gifts too busy to even acknowledge them? As it is, most nonprofits are guilty of not acknowledging all gifts in a timely manner.

Some charities take weeks to acknowledge a gift.

That shameful practice is further being compounded by also discouraging minidonations.

UNICEF ran an ambient campaign in New York simulating selling contaminated bottled water in vending machines that raised $1 at a time. foundationmag.ca

The power and importance of minidonations For nonprofits, a $1 or $3 gift won’t change much, but 500 or 1,000 of these minidonations of $1 or $3 could make a big difference to your organization financial bottom line. Think about that.

When UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) ran an ambient campaign in New York selling contaminated bottled water in vending machines, laced with malaria, cholera, typhoid, dengue, hepatitis, dysentery, salmonella, and yellow fever — things that people in poor countries drink every day from lakes and cesspools — they raised enough donations of $1 each to provide safe drinking water to 500,000 people globally.

Teenagers give mini-donations since they can’t afford to give your charity a $100 or $1,000 gift.

More importantly, these mini donations generally come from an audience outside your standard donor pool, so you are not only attracting new donors, but you are adding to your organization’s finances.

Most charitable organizations’ donor bases consist predominantly of older donors aged 50+. And statistically, it’s shown that these donors prefer to pay by traditional means: i.e., cheque or credit card. And the larger the gift size, the more likely it is to be donated via these traditional methods.

Another reason that charities give is a high credit card transaction fee. I will deal with this point shortly. And there is that age-old question: Why can’t all donors, big or small, be thanked instantly via email?

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FUNDRAISING Just look at what the Global Report on Fundraising says about North American donors: ❯❯ Sixty-eight percent prefer to be thanked for their donations by email, 20 percent by print letter, 5 percent by print postcard, 3 percent by social media message, and 3 percent via text message.

through text message donations alone.

But the true power of mini-donations comes not just from their volume, but also from the power of sharing. According to GoFundMe Statistics, one out of five donors also share a campaign following their donation. Each gift averages around $15, which in many cases can equate up to 50 percent of a campaign’s donations by volume. Another reason is that Now let’s look at who these mini-donation givers are. Generally, Crowdfunding is emerging as a promising alternative to teenagers are the ones who give mini-donations since they complement traditional fundraising efforts. The GoFundMe can’t afford to give your charity a crowdfunding platform has raised $100 or $1,000 gift. over $3 billion dollars since its Yes, these are the same people launch in 2010. Mini-donations who participate in a mass march GLOBAL TRENDS IN GIVING (donations between $0.25 and for the environment or for women’s Demographic Fundraising Statistics: $10) were the most common rights or other issues. These people 1. The average donor is 64 years old and amounts. could be your most loyal devotees generally makes 2 charitable gifts a year.

Mobile and mini-donations now in the future.

2. Generational differences between go hand-in-hand And then there are also those donors depend on the media and the old loyal donors who once gave to Mini-donations have tremendous message. So, while older donors are you, but are now retired and can’t potential for charitable more likely to give because of direct afford to give you a large amount fundraising, especially via mobile mail, younger donors are more likely to giving technology allowing young any more. What your charity make a donation because of social media donors to give directly from is doing by not accepting minimarketing. donations from these two groups, their smartphones.

With a target 3. Thirty-one percent of worldwide donors is rejecting their heartfelt offer. audience of 3.5 billion mobile give to organizations located outside of Another important point is smartphones users globally, minitheir country of residence. that mini-donations, like impulse donations are now a must for all 4. Sixty-seven percent of worldwide based donations, are rising in charities. People are more likely donors also choose to volunteer locally popularity. These mini-donation to donate money if there’s an easy in their communities, and 56 percent gifts are so small, that many regularly attend fundraising events. way to do it. donors give them without a second Here is another reason

Source: 2018 Global Giving Report thought. Think of them as impulse to counter high credit card items in a supermarket or store, transaction fees. Through easywhere chewing gum or a candy to-use smartphone apps, like bar costing a few dollars is proudly displayed at the checkout ApplePay, and platforms like Google One* and Spotfund**, the counter, because they sell easily and produce a healthy profit act of giving has been further simplified and can be as easy as a for the store. tap on your smartphone.

Now back to that point of the effect of a high credit Finally, while large donations may still make up the lion’s card transaction fee. My answer: To facilitate credit card share of your revenue, the future of philanthropy is giving us transactions, third-party platforms like Stripe and Paypal are clear signals towards the power of mini-donations. As your also still on the rise. They enable quick, easy donations, on the organization prepares for the year ahead, the most important go, and their transaction fees are much lower than previous, takeaway from this is to not ignore mini-donations. traditional methods.

I have been advocating that for years. Remember, not all Younger donors are more prominent members of the giving donors like to receive the same types of communications, just landscape today. They’re donors who are tech-savvy and who like not all donors want to give the same way. Mini-donations care deeply about where their money is going, regardless of give your donors the power of making a difference with their whether it’s $10 or $1,000. You should cultivate them by dollar and their voice. Don’t shut them out. accepting mini-donations.

BILLY SHARMA is the principal of BKS Fundraising/Designers Inc. in Toronto.

Understanding the true impact of mini-donations With smaller donations growing in popularity, the platforms people are giving on are beginning to shift. These stats show the impact of mini-donations. After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, over $30 million in mobile donations were pledged foundationmag.ca

* Google’s new application called One Today, allows people to donate $1 to different organizations, while getting the complete information about how your donation will be used up front. This is a huge stumbling block for nonprofits usually, as people are afraid that their money won’t actually get spent on making a real difference. One Today aims to change that. Additionally, One Today has a social component to it, letting you set a cap to how much money you’ll match if your friends donate to a cause. ** Spotfund, New Mobile App, lets you donate only $1, $2 Or $3 to causes and current events.

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KICKER

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DONOR TRENDS

How the Pandemic Impacts Canada’s Top P2P Programs

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ince 2013, the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum has surveyed Canadian nonprofits that manage peerto-peer campaigns to provide an annual ranking of the 30 largest programs. The survey has become an important benchmarking tool for charities and a measure of industry trends.

Peer-to-peer fundraising revenues at Canadian nonprofits took a massive hit in 2020 due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the annual survey of top campaigns by the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum.

Fundraising revenues for the 30 largest Canadian programs dropped 43.5 percent, or $103 million, to $133.5 million.

This decline represented the largest single-year drop in the survey’s history. It also marked the first time that revenues for the top 30 programs failed to top $200 million. In 2019, the top 30 programs collectively raised more than $236.5 million.

“COVID-19 created a perfect storm for Canadian peerto-peer programs, especially those that rely on in-person events,” said Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum President David Hessekiel. “Nonprofits across Canada were forced to scrap longplanned events and move quickly to stand up and stage virtual replacements.”

Peer-to-peer fundraising is the practice of having a nonprofit’s supporters take part in an activity such as a walk, bike ride, or video gaming challenge and reach out to their friends, family members, colleagues and followers for donations.

Changes at the top The latest P2P Thirty survey shows the severity of the pandemic on peer-to-peer programs across Canada.

Only four of the 30 campaigns that appear in this year’s rankings reported increased revenues in 2020. The other 26 programs reported declines — and for many, the drop was steep.

The shock waves to the industry caused by COVID-19 created a major shakeup at the top of the P2P Thirty rankings, as Movember Canada now holds the title of Canada’s largest peerto-peer fundraising campaign.

Opposite: Run for the Cure, Coldest Night of the Year, and Movember continue to be strong P2P fundraisers but even those suffered significant declines.

Movember moved into the top spot after posting an extraordinary increase in revenues, despite the pandemic. Its campaign raised more than $24.1 million in 2020, up 21.1 percent from $19.9 million in 2019.

The campaign — which centers on men growing mustaches and beards to help raise money for men’s causes, including prostate and testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention — has seen its fundraising totals increase significantly since 2017, when it raised $15.5 million.

Todd Minerson, Movember’s country director for Canada, said the organization leaned heavily into men’s mental health in the face of COVID-19 — serving as a source of information and support and listening to supporters. It also launched a do-

Top 10 List: Canadian Programs by Total Gross Revenue in 2020 1. Movember Canada – Movember Canada – $24.1 million (+13.7%) 2. The Terry Fox Run – The Terry Fox Foundation – $13.5 million (-35.8%) 3. Great Cycle Challenge – SickKids Foundation – $9.5 million (+109.5%) 4. CIBC Run for the Cure – Canadian Cancer Society – $9.4 million (-43.7%) 5. The Ride to Conquer Cancer – Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation and three other Canadian cancer centers – $9.1 million (-77.7%) 6. Coldest Night of the Year – Blue Sea Philanthropy – $6.3 million (+7.2%) 7. World Partnership Walk – Aga Khan Foundation – $5.2 million (-32.4%) 8. Light the Night – Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada — $5.1 million (-22.3%) 9. IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s – Alzheimer Society of Canada – $5.0 million (-19.2%) 10. Relay for Life – Canadian Cancer Society – $5.0 million (-78.4%) Source: P2P Fundraising Canada

PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY THE RESPECTIVE CHARITIES.

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DONOR TRENDS it-yourself platform called Mo Your Own Way, which provided fundraisers with new ways to create their own fundraising challenges.

“Any of the success from our Movember Campaign is entirely due to the dedication, creativity and commitment of our Mo community,” Minerson said. “Almost 68,000 Canadians registered to Grow, Move or Mo Your Own Way to raise funds and awareness for men’s health. We asked our Mo community to step up, and they did, big time.”

Movember replaces the Ride to Conquer Cancer program as the top program in the survey. The ride had topped the list each year since 2014, when its fundraising revenues topped $42 million.

However, it was among the programs most negatively impacted by the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its revenues totaled $9.1 million in 2020, down nearly 76.7 percent from the previous year. In turn, it dropped to No. 5 on this year’s list.

“Of the 48 percent that have not yet decided, half expect to commit by the end of this year.”

Major movers While traditional peer-to-peer programs struggled across the board, a small number of programs experienced significant growth in 2020.

In addition to Movember, SickKids Foundation’s Great Cycle Challenge more than doubled its revenues from $4.5 million in 2019 to nearly $9.5 million — making it North America’s fastest-growing program in 2020. The Great Cycle Challenge’s revenue increase — which was driven by the fact that the already virtual campaign added more than 29,600 new

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participants — helped it vault from No. 16 in 2019 to No. 3 on the list in 2020.

Blue Sea Philanthropy’s Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) was another big mover, jumping from No. 12 in 2019 to No. 6 in 2020 on the back of a 7.2 percent revenue increase. CNOY — held annually in February — had the benefit of taking place prior to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A second Blue Sea program, Ride for Refuge, also outpaced many of its large program peers. The ride’s revenues dropped by just 13.1 percent to $2.2 million.

Brian Carney, Blue Sea’s Chief Executive Officer, said the Ride outpaced many of its peers, in part, because it made an early decision to transition to a virtual campaign.

“What worked before COVID has worked during COVID — relationships, personal asks, and tying your compelling mission to every aspect of your recruitment process,” Carney said. “Nothing, not even a pandemic, need ever get between you and your supporters.”

New survey results: Physical, virtual or hybrid next spring?

As the fall peer-to-peer fundraising season winds down, organizations are beginning to take steps to map out their spring 2021 plans in the face of a deadly pandemic that is showing no signs of easing up.

A new survey of nearly 100 Canadian and U.S. nonprofits by the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum finds that more than half of groups that manage spring campaigns have already decided what form they will take.

Not surprisingly, most of the organizations that have made decisions are opting to avoid in person gatherings.

Nearly half reported that they are planning to hold virtual campaigns.

Another one in four said they planned to host hybrid programs, which combine elements of in-person and virtual events.

And some, such as Junior Achievement, say they are giving local chapters the opportunity to make decisions based on circumstances in their communities or are moving their spring campaigns to a later date, with the hope that they can safely host in-person events in the summer or fall.

Of the 48 percent that have not yet decided, half expect to commit by the end of this year while the rest planned to wait until 2021.

The takeaway is clear: in spite of uncertainty about pandemic restrictions in 2021, nonprofits want to make programming decisions early enough to filed strong programs than they were able to produce this year.

“This spring, the coronavirus forced almost every organization to scrap their long-planned events and create virtualized campaigns on the fly,” said David Hessekiel, president of the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum. “It’s clear based on this latest research that most groups are taking active steps to avoid facing the same fate in 2021. Rather than waiting, they’re making decisions now so they can begin communicating with their supporters and get a jump start on fundraising.” foundationmag.ca

HISTORIC PLAQUE CONTINUED FROM page 15

in 2019 to a charity but didn’t give to the same charity in 2020). The 2020 new donor retention was 19.2 percent, meaning that less than one in five donors who gave for the first time in 2019 to a charity didn’t give to the same charity last year.

“While these drops may not look relatively all that big, especially compared to the big percentage gains we saw in giving and donors, these figures show a giving trend that continues to be exacerbated,” said Tim Sarrantonio, Head of Partnerships and Business Development at Neon One. “Even with the growth in lower-level gifts — which I’m very excited about — 2020 still saw the lowest donor retention rate since the FEP started tracking this data. And we know that major gifts account for a high percentage of all giving. So even if we still saw a lot of shifting of donors and giving because of the pandemic, dropping retention rates mean charities are in for difficult funding problems in the future unless they have consistent major donors. And that’s not a tenable situation for most charities.”

Jay Love, Chief Relationship Officer and Co-Founder at Bloomerang, noted that keeping and retaining donors is, on average for most charities, much less expensive than finding new ones. “So, 2020 gives us an opportunity. We have all these new donors, as well as recaptured donors who have come back to previously supported causes to give again. Nonprofits have the chance to see continued giving that could increase year over year. They now need to have a clear plan to follow up and build strong relationships with these donors.”

The Fundraising Effectiveness Project offers tools and resources for charities to determine their own data for each of these charitable giving benchmarks and then use the data to analyze which groups of donors they need to focus on, communicate with and solicit.

ABOUT THE REPORT: The data analysis includes giving details from 2,496 nonprofit organizations based in the U.S. as a subset of the Fundraising Effectiveness Project. The FEP’s database of organizations is made up of organizations that raise between $100,000 and $10 million, so the data is not representative of larger charities such as hospitals and universities.

Visit www.afpglobal.org for full details and methodology. foundationmag.ca

Historic Plaques Which Honour Philanthropy Vern and Clara Welker Saskatoon, Saskatchewan The Downtown Saskatoon DTNYXE business group found the right way to honour their downtown Saskatoon greats by creating a program called LEGENDS DOWNTOWN. The idea is to bring colour to the district, awareness to their community pride, and gratitude to our honourees.

Reddee Properties and their tenants, Lululemon Athletica and Second Cup Coffee Co., donated space for the plaque to recognize these honourees, now providing a permanent home. It can be found on Lululemon’s wall at Second Cup’s patio.

Station Studios handled the design and fabrication of the plaque. It can hold 32 honourees, and they don’t all have to be people. The general public are invited to nominate their Downtown Saskatoon greats for future recognition.

The most recent Legends are Vern and Clara Welker. The Welkers’ owned Vern Welker Men’s Wear (1948-1970). They were hard working, supportive and generous people. In 2009 Vern and Clara bequeathed the largest single donation received by the Saskatoon Community Foundation (SCF) to date. This gift to the community supports five local charities. The Welkers’ legendary legacy of this foundational gift generates pride for what can be vibrantly accomplished locally in Downtown Saskatoon. The new plaque celebrates the philanthropy of the Welker family as the SCF continues to build and grow the community off their generosity.

Clara died in 2009 at the age of 97 while Vern had predeceased her in 1996. They were married for 63 years and while they weren’t publicly known for philanthropy they supported many favourite charities, such as the Meewasin Valley Authority. The Saskatoon Community Foundation was taken aback by the generosity of a $2.9 million bequest to the endowment fund, which is still the largest single donation ever given to the Saskatoon Community Foundation. Their bequest created the Vern and Clara Welker Fund.

Annual disbursements from the fund are shared to benefit five local charities: Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, Saskatoon Community Clinic Foundation, Saint Paul’s Hospital, and the YWCA. Annual disbursements will depend on investment returns, but the fund means approximately $20,000 for each charity every year for the past decade.

The generosity of this gift and the unexpected manner in which it was left reveals the underlying humanitarian thread that stitches the social fabric of the prairie community together. The Saskatoon Community Foundation is honoured that the Welkers recognized the organization’s role in building a strong community.

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IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

Greenland: Life on the Edge CONTINUED FROM page 46

The goal of the feature documentary is to bring to life Nuka’s journey.

Nuka Aqissiaq has dedicated himself to saving lives.

steady melt of Greenland’s ice sheets is already the single biggest contributor to sea level rise globally. But the country’s social dilemmas, in particular its issues with mental health, also speak to many of the anxieties that are cropping up in contemporary society everywhere.

We are living through a time of exponential change and unprecedented upheaval. Industry and technology have connected the world — but disconnected us from nature. We herald the global village, yet billions of modern humans feel anxious and isolated. We pursue “progress”, but neglect our inner lives.

Suicide and self harm are on the rise, especially for a post-millennial generation reared on social media, confronting deep uncertainty and a crisis unfolding in real time: climate change.

The Greenland Inuit used to lived in small, tight knit communities adhering to cultures and traditions that evolved over hundreds even thousands of years to accommodate the harsh environment.

But in the fifties and sixties, wellmeaning social programmes initiated

by Denmark (though Greenland now foundationmag.ca

has home-rule, it is still a part of the Kingdom of Denmark) saw many Inuit moving to new urban centres and into social housing projects that provided for their utilitarian needs — but neglected their mental health and wellbeing. Many experts speculate that this disruption could be one of the root causes of Greenland’s devastating rates of suicide and self harm.

As a filmmaker, I was fortunate enough to travel to Greenland last year on assignment. During my time there, I met a remarkable man, Nuka Aqissiaq. Nuka has dedicated himself to saving lives. He spends much of his year travelling all over Greenland counselling individuals and groups affected by suicide. He is well placed to do so: just 28 years old, he already lost his best friend to suicide, a close family member and even came close to taking his own life during a stint in jail.

I’m now developing a feature documentary that will bring to life Nuka’s journey — while immersing viewers in the realities of contemporary Greenland — from ramshackle cities bordering ice floes to hunting communities in the

frozen north, to Nuka’s own home in Southern Greenland.

Life On The Edge unfolds in one of the most remote and beautiful places on earth. But it is also close to home. The themes here are universal: the need for meaning and purpose in life, for human connection. Remembering that we are a part of nature, not apart from it. Life on the Edge shows us what it means to reconnect. And what’s at stake if we don’t.

My hope as a filmmaker is that the film can have a real world impact, playing a part in de-stigmatising mental illness and suicide, while presenting an inspirational story of resilience and hope in the face of adversity. At the same time it presents climate change not in the context of science, but as something experienced as a day to day reality — and the trauma that goes along with it.

JOHNNY LANGENHEIM is a creative director and crossplatform storyteller who creates premium broadcast, commercial and editorial content - from a drama doc for Netflix to brand content for National Geographic to articles for The Guardian, Red Bull and Conde Nast Traveller.

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IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

Greenland: Life on the Edge

PHOTOS COURTESY JOHNNY LANGENHEIM

I

BY JOHNNY LANGENHEIM

t may be the world’s biggest island, but Greenland barely registers on most people’s radars. And yet geopolitically it’s one of the most important places on the planet, situated as it is in the high Arctic, between North America and Europe. It is rich in natural resources — and it’s on the climate change frontline — a phenomenon that is triggering radical changes to the environment — and to the people who live there.

For such an enormous place, Greenland’s population is tiny — around 57,000 people, 90 percent of them indigenous Inuit. And their world is transforming seemingly from one year to the next — possibly more than anywhere else on earth. While scientists focus on the potentially catastrophic global impact of Greenland’s ice sheet disappearing, ordinary Greenlanders are facing their own social crisis, as an epidemic of suicides rips through Inuit society.

Greenland may seem remote — but it is in many ways it’s the proverbial canary in the coal mine: what’s happening here will eventually affect all of us. The

Langenheim: "Greenland is in many ways it’s the proverbial canary in the coal mine: what’s happening there will eventually affect all of us."

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